Msunduzi Local Municipality

Msunduzi Municipality (Zulu: UMasipala wase Msunduzi) is a local municipality within the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It encompasses the city of Pietermaritzburg, which is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and the main economic hub of the Umgungundlovu District Municipality.

Msunduzi
Local municipality
Official seal of Msunduzi
Seal
Location of Msunduzi Local Municipality within KwaZulu-Natal
Location of Msunduzi Local Municipality within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 29°37′S 30°23′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
DistrictuMgungundlovu
SeatPietermaritzburg
Wards37
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • Mayor(ANC)
Area
 • Total634 km2 (245 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total618,536
 • Density980/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[2]
 • Black African81.1%
 • Coloured2.9%
 • Indian/Asian9.8%
 • White6.0%
First languages (2011)
[2]
 • Zulu72.4%
 • English19.0%
 • Afrikaans1.9%
 • Xhosa1.9%
 • Other4.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeKZN225

Msunduzi Municipality is situated on the N3 highway at a junction of an industrial corridor (from Durban to Pietermaritzburg) and an agro-industrial corridor (stretching from Pietermaritzburg to Estcourt). On the regional scale, it is located at the cross section of the N3 corridor and the Greytown Road corridor to the north, a tourist route to the Drakensberg, and Kokstad Road to the south.[3]

The city of Pietermaritzburg is a provincial and national centre of educational excellence. Pietermaritzburg is a seat of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is home to several other institutions of higher learning. In addition, Pietermaritzburg is home to a host of private and government-owned institutions of primary and secondary education.[3]

Politics
Main article: Msunduzi Local Municipality elections

The Msunduzi Local Municipality council consists of eighty-one members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Forty-one councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in forty-one wards, while the remaining forty 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 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority, obtaining a plurality of forty seats. The following table shows the results of the election.[4]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress74,23847.162977,70349.481140
Democratic Alliance30,07419.101030,69719.55616
Economic Freedom Fighters18,26211.60018,67311.891010
Inkatha Freedom Party13,2718.43115,2709.7278
Independent candidates7,7164.9011
Abantu Batho Congress2,9141.8502,6141.6622
African Independent Congress1,7931.1401,7281.1011
Patriotic Alliance1,5370.9801,4540.9311
African Christian Democratic Party1,0060.6401,1590.7411
Justice and Employment Party8030.5101,1110.7111
18 other parties5,8143.6906,6284.2200
Total157,428100.0041157,037100.004081
Valid votes157,42897.78157,03797.10
Invalid/blank votes3,5702.224,6972.90
Total votes160,998100.00161,734100.00
Registered voters/turnout339,25747.46339,25747.67

Mayors
  • Hloni Glenford Zondi, 2000-2006 [5]
  • Zanele Hlatshwayo, 2006-2010 [5][6]
  • Mike Tarr, May 2010-2011 [7]
  • Chris Ndlela, 2011-2016 [8]
  • Themba Njilo, 2016–August 2019[9]
  • [10]
  • Mzimkhulu Thebolla, August 2019-present

Financial mismanagement

By May 2023, the municipality owed Eskom R400 million for electricity services, but did not have the means to pay, and it approached national government for a bailout. By August 2023, the municipality had fallen well below the National Treasury's benchmark of at least 90 days cash-on-hand, stating that it had between 27 and 30 days availability, although opposition African Christian Democratic Party councillor Niemand Reinu stated that the municipality only had 7 days cash available. The municipality however intended to go ahead with a R27 million sponsorship to local soccer club Royal AM.

The municipality is struggling to collect revenue, with an estimated 25000 illegal electricity connections.[11]

In September 2023, R33 million was reported missing from a pension fund for retiring employees.[12]

Housing

As of September 2023, Msunduzi had identified 50 problem buildings, although in the aftermath of the 2023 Johannesburg building fire, inspections are ongoing and the number is expected to grow.[13]

Main places

The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[14]

PlaceCodeArea (km2)Population
Ashdown511013.0313,531
Edendale5110250.5379,573
Imbali5110323.4079,115
Inadi5110487.2534,131
Mafunze5110560.5536,186
Mpumuza5110697.5655,260
Nxamalala5110812.9414,417
Pietermaritzburg51109160.99223,519
Sobantu511101.078,155
Wilgerfontein511110.431,073
Ximba511125.512,947
Remainder of the municipality51107144.535,315

References
  1. "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  2. "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. Integrated Development Plan - May 2009. Msunduzi Municipality. Retrieved on Oct 7, 2009.
  4. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Msunduzi". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  5. "Hlatshwayo snatches mayorship from Zondi". Iol.co.za. 16 March 2006.
  6. "Msunduzi.gov.za". Msunduzi Municipality. Archived from the original on 24 September 2006 – via Wayback Machine.
  7. "MEC fires official for 13 charges". Iol.co.za. 21 January 2011.
  8. "Tough year for Msunduzi Municipality". Iol.co.za. 23 December 2011.
  9. "Njilo to run for mayor". News24.com. 20 June 2016.
  10. "'There will be no aloof councillors'-Njilo". Maritzburgsun.co.za. 24 August 2016.
  11. Maliti, Soyiso. "Msunduzi has 27 days' cash, owes Eskom and Umgeni Water - but insists on R27m Royal AM sponsorship deal". News24. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  12. Ndaliso, Chris (2023-09-02). "'We want our money,' pensioners tell Msunduzi". Witness. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  13. Xulu, Khethukuthula (2023-09-02). "Is there a plan for KZN's problem buildings?". Witness. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  14. Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa
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