Nkandla

Nkandla
Road to Mnyakanya High School, Nkandla
Nkandla  Nkandla shown within South Africa
Coordinates: 28°37′21″S 31°5′22″E / 28.62250°S 31.08944°E / -28.62250; 31.08944Coordinates: 28°37′21″S 31°5′22″E / 28.62250°S 31.08944°E / -28.62250; 31.08944
Country	South Africa
Province	KwaZulu-Natal
District	Uthungulu
Municipality	Nkandla
Government
• Type	Ward 5
• Councillor	Phumzile Rolca Dlamini
Area[1]
• Total	7.00 km2 (2.70 sq mi)
Elevation	1,090 m (3,580 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	3,557
• Density	510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	98.1%
• Coloured	0.4%
• Indian/Asian	0.3%
• White	0.7%
• Other	0.5%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Zulu	92.4%
• English	3.0%
• Other	4.6%
Postal code (street)	3855 up to 3859
PO box	3855
Area code	035

Nkandla is a town in the uThungulu district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the seat of the Nkandla Local Municipality, and the district wherein the residence of the current President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma may be found. Contrary to common perception, the residence is not located in the town of Nkandla but may be found some 40 kilometres to the south beyond the Nkandla Forest and on the road to Kranskop.

The Nkandla region encompasses nearly 115,000 inhabitants, spread relatively sparsely over a large area. Nkandla is mainly a rural area and is in the top five of the poorest places in KwaZulu-Natal province.^{[citation needed]} Poverty is prevalent, with 44% unemployment. The majority of the population are Zulus.

A documentary, "Orphans of Nkandla" by the BBC and Truevision, recounted the hardships and deep poverty of orphans in Nkandla.

Zuma was joined by Nelson Mandela to open Mnyakanya High School in 2004.^[2]

Presidential homestead

President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead

President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead at 28°50′37″S 31°05′56″E / 28.8437104°S 31.0987975°E / -28.8437104; 31.0987975 (Nkandla homestead) is situated about 24 km south of Nkandla town centre, on land owned by the Ingonyama Trust, the legal entity that owns the traditional land administered by Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, the Zulu king on behalf of the state for the benefit of its occupants.^[3]

Improvements made to homestead

The South African government public works department is building a helipad, underground bunkers, security and their accommodation, and fencing around the entire complex. According to the ministerial handbook, the department can spend R100 000 on security improvements at the private houses of public officials. Any costs above that must be covered by the official. Over R200 000 000 has appeared to be allocated by the department.^[3]

Statements by spokesmen have mentioned an apartheid-era law, the National Key Points Act, as explanation for the spending discrepancy, but that spending should come from a different department.^[4] The leaked documention also hints at vastly inflated prices for the work done, much of it not going out to tender, and huge consulting fees.^[5]

Political fallout

Police prevented Helen Zille from approaching President Jacob Zuma's homestead on November 4, 2012. She intended "to see what a R250-million renovation with public money looks like", but was prevented from approaching by a police line.^[6]

Zuma's spokesperson Mac Maharaj said the opposition party adopted a "cowboy style" approach to getting the answers it wanted, and questioned Zille's use of the word 'compound' to describe the homestead.^[7]

COSATU, a member of the governing tri-partite alliance, has asked for the overpricing to be reviewed.^[8]

Geographic location

		Ulundi	Richards Bay
	Vryheid		Eshowe, Indian Ocean
	Nkandla
	Greytown Pietermaritzburg		Durban

References

v t e Municipalities and communities of uThungulu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal District seat: Richards Bay uMhlathuze ESikhawini Empangeni Felixton Richards Bay uMlalazi AMatikulu Eshowe Gingindlovu Mbongolwane Mtunzini Nkandla Nkandla Mbonambi Kwambonambi Ntambanana Bhucanana Heatonville Mthonjaneni Melmoth