OVERVIEW

Contact Details

Postal: PO Box 53, uMzimkhulu, 3297
Physical: 169 Main Street, uMzimkhulu
Tel: 039 259 5300/039 259 5000
Fax: 039 259 0223
Web: www.umzimkhululm.gov.za

Geography, History and Economy

Area: 2 435km²

Description: uMzimkhulu Local Municipality is situated in KwaZulu-Natal. It is one of the five local municipalities that make up Harry Gwala District Municipality (previously Sisonke District Municipality), together with a district management area. It is the most populated of the Harry Gwala municipalities. The municipal area consists of 20 wards and traditional areas comprise of 48% of the region. Households headed by women are in the majority of the population. There is a need to implement youth development programmes and, for the most part, to target women in stimulating nodal economic growth. 

uMzimkhulu Town (and adjoining Clydesdale peri-urban area) is regarded as the primary node, both administrative and economic, in the municipal area. Rietvlei, Riversdale and Ibisi are regarded as secondary nodes, fulfilling the role of rural service centres. Other settlements such as Mountain Home, Glengarry, Ntsikeni and Ncambele (Gowan Lea) can be regarded as minor service centres. The towns of Creighton and Franklin are accessible to the north-western part of the municipal area and Harding is accessible to the southern part, as economic service centres.

Cities/Towns: uMzimkhulu

Main Economic Sectors: Agriculture; forestry; community, social and personal services; trade and tourism