Vulamehlo Local Municipality

Vulamehlo Local Municipality was a local municipality in Ugu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. It was located south of the eThekwini municipality and 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] In 2016 the municipality was divided between eThekwini and uMdoni.

Vulamehlo
Local municipality
Official seal of Vulamehlo
Seal
Location of Vulamehlo Local Municipality within KwaZulu-Natal
Location of Vulamehlo Local Municipality within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 30°13′S 30°36′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
DistrictUgu
SeatScottburgh
Wards10
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorW.T. Dube
Area
 • Total960 km2 (370 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total77,403
 • Density81/km2 (210/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[2]
 • Black African98.9%
 • Coloured0.2%
 • Indian/Asian0.5%
 • White0.3%
First languages (2011)
[2]
 • Zulu94.6%
 • English1.7%
 • Southern Ndebele1.3%
 • Other2.4%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeKZN211

Topography

The municipality was characterised by sharp valleys, river systems, and hilly, broken terrain. Approximately 30% of the area was estimated to contain slopes of 1:3 and steeper. The fragmented and steep topography had limited development and agricultural production, and had greatly contributed to the dispersed nature of the area's settlement patterns.[3]

The major river systems within the area were the uMkhomazi, Mpambanyoni and Mthwalume rivers. The other perennial rivers which flow through Vulamehlo included the Nungwane River, Lovu River, Msimbazi River, Mzimayi River, uMzinto and Mkhumbane rivers.

Economy and infrastructure

The Vulamehlo Municipality was largely made up of traditional settlements and was 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 area of former 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]

PlaceCodeArea (km2)Population
Cele5010122.434,682
Emandleni5010260.8310,606
Ezembeni5010386.4613,462
Isimahla5010466.405,291
Izimpethu Endlovu5010514.781,104
Izimpethu Zendlovu & EM5010615.975,619
Mapumulo5010744.866,200
Mbhele5010849.523,725
Nyuswa5010916.961,892
Qiko5011049.163,074
Thoyana50111104.8714,637
Ukuthula501128.112,090
Umzinto5011336.066,397
Remainder of the municipality50114395.504,272

Politics
Main article: Vulamehlo Local Municipality elections

The municipal council consisted of twenty members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Ten councillors were elected by first-past-the-post voting in ten wards, while the remaining ten were chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives was 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]

PartyVotesSeats
WardListTotal %WardListTotal
ANC 15,28115,61430,89563.69413
NFP 6,3256,03912,36425.4145
IFP 2,4882,4634,95110.2022
ACDP 1952023970.8000
Total 24,28924,31848,607100.0101020
Spoilt votes 5105151,025

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. Vulamehlo Integrated Development Plan (2009/2010 Final Review). Vulamehlo Municipality. Retrieved on Oct 7, 2009.
  4. "Vulamehlo Municipality." Archived 2009-08-21 at the Wayback Machine KwaZulu-Natal Top Business. Retrieved on Oct 7, 2009.
  5. Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa
  6. "Results Summary – All Ballots: Vulamehlo" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  7. "Seat Calculation Detail: Vulamehlo" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
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