Vulamehlo Local Municipality
| Vulamehlo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Local municipality | ||
| ||
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| Coordinates: 30°13′S 30°36′E / 30.217°S 30.600°ECoordinates: 30°13′S 30°36′E / 30.217°S 30.600°E | ||
| Country | South Africa | |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal | |
| District | Ugu | |
| Seat | Scottburgh | |
| Wards | 10 | |
| Government[1] | ||
| • Type | Municipal council | |
| • Mayor | W.T. Dube | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 960 km2 (370 sq mi) | |
| Population (2011)[2] | ||
| • Total | 77,403 | |
| • Density | 81/km2 (210/sq mi) | |
| Racial makeup (2011)[2] | ||
| • Black African | 98.9% | |
| • Coloured | 0.2% | |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.5% | |
| • White | 0.3% | |
| First languages (2011)[2] | ||
| • Zulu | 94.6% | |
| • English | 1.7% | |
| • Southern Ndebele | 1.3% | |
| • Other | 2.4% | |
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) | |
| Municipal code | KZN211 | |
Vulamehlo Local Municipality is a local municipality in Ugu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. It is located south of the eThekwini municipality and is bordered by uMdoni to the east, Mkhambathini and Richmond to the north and Ubuhlebezwe to the west. There is an almost equal split of land between commercial agriculture and traditional settlement areas. 48% of the area is held under communal ownership through traditional authorities; the balance of the area is privately owned, except for Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, which is managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.[3]
Topography
The municipality is characterised by sharp valleys, river systems, and hilly, broken terrain. Approximately 30% of the area is estimated to contain slopes of 1:3 and steeper. The fragmented and steep topography has limited development and agricultural production, and has greatly contributed to the dispersed nature of the area's settlement patterns.[3]
The major river systems within the area are the uMkhomazi, Mpambanyoni and Mthwalume rivers. The other perennial rivers which flow through Vulamehlo include the Nungwane River, Lovu River, Msimbazi River, Mzimayi River, uMzinto and Mkhumbane rivers.
Economy and infrastructure
The Vulamehlo Municipality is largely made up of traditional settlements and is currently characterised by limited economic activity. The area has high levels of unemployment, with many of those who are employed commuting long distances to other economic centres such as Durban, Port Shepstone, Ixopo, Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg.
The main sources of income and economic activities in the municipality include subsistence farming and commercial agriculture, including the production of sugarcane and timber plantation. Small-scale sugarcane growers tend to cluster around Dududu, Kenterton and Mfume.
The dispersed, low-density settlement pattern has made the provision of physical and social infrastructure (roads, water, electricity, clinics, schools, and police stations) relatively difficult and expensive. The network of roads connecting the area's settlements is generally poor. The Vulamehlo Municipality is one of the localities within the Ugu District that is hardest hit by high unemployment levels, poverty, and negative economic growth rate.[4]
Main places
The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[5]
| Place | Code | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cele | 50101 | 22.43 | 4,682 |
| Emandleni | 50102 | 60.83 | 10,606 |
| Ezembeni | 50103 | 86.46 | 13,462 |
| Isimahla | 50104 | 66.40 | 5,291 |
| Izimpethu Endlovu | 50105 | 14.78 | 1,104 |
| Izimpethu Zendlovu & EM | 50106 | 15.97 | 5,619 |
| Mapumulo | 50107 | 44.86 | 6,200 |
| Mbhele | 50108 | 49.52 | 3,725 |
| Nyuswa | 50109 | 16.96 | 1,892 |
| Qiko | 50110 | 49.16 | 3,074 |
| Thoyana | 50111 | 104.87 | 14,637 |
| Ukuthula | 50112 | 8.11 | 2,090 |
| Umzinto | 50113 | 36.06 | 6,397 |
| Remainder of the municipality | 50114 | 395.50 | 4,272 |
Politics
The municipal council consists of twenty members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Ten councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in ten wards, while the remaining ten are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 18 May 2011 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of thirteen seats on the council. The following table shows the results of the election.[6][7]
| Party | Votes | Seats | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward | List | Total | % | Ward | List | Total | ||
| African National Congress | 15,281 | 15,614 | 30,895 | 63.6 | 9 | 4 | 13 | |
| National Freedom Party | 6,325 | 6,039 | 12,364 | 25.4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | 2,488 | 2,463 | 4,951 | 10.2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| African Christian Democratic Party | 195 | 202 | 397 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 24,289 | 24,318 | 48,607 | 100.0 | 10 | 10 | 20 | |
| Spoilt votes | 510 | 515 | 1,025 | |||||
References
- ↑ "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Local Municipality". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vulamehlo Integrated Development Plan (2009/2010 Final Review). Vulamehlo Municipality. Retrieved on Oct 7, 2009.
- ↑ "Vulamehlo Municipality." KwaZulu-Natal Top Business. Retrieved on Oct 7, 2009.
- ↑ Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa
- ↑ "Results Summary – All Ballots: Vulamehlo". Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ↑ "Seat Calculation Detail: Vulamehlo". Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
External links
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