Johannes Phumani Phungula Local Municipality
Local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Johannes Phumani Phungula Municipality (Zulu: UMasipala iJohannes Phumani Phungula; formerly Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality) is a local municipality within the Harry Gwala District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. It was renamed in May 2025 after ANC struggle veteran Johannes Phungula.[4] The previous name, Ubuhlebezwe, is an isiZulu word meaning "the beauty of the land", derived from Alan Paton's novel, Cry, The Beloved Country.[5]
Johannes Phumani Phungula
Ubuhlebezwe | |
|---|---|
|
Seal | |
 Location in KwaZulu-Natal | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | Harry Gwala District |
| Seat | Ixopo |
| Wards | 14 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | E.B. Ngubo |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,604 km2 (619 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 101,691 |
| • Density | 63.40/km2 (164.2/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 97.5% |
| • Coloured | 1.2% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.4% |
| • White | 0.8% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Zulu | 91.6% |
| • English | 3.1% |
| • Xhosa | 1.6% |
| • Southern Ndebele | 1.3% |
| • Other | 2.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Municipal code | KZN434 |
Main places
The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[6]
| Place | Code | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amakhuze | 55101 | 40.53 | 4,726 |
| Dlamini/Vusathina Mazulu | 55102 | 19.13 | 3,532 |
| Dunge | 55103 | 47.70 | 2,666 |
| Ikhwezi/Lokusa | 55104 | 48.56 | 12,316 |
| Ixopo | 55105 | 6.24 | 8,434 |
| Izimpethu Endlovu | 55106 | 10.23 | 751 |
| Mjoli/Mawushe(Sizwe Hlanganani) | 55107 | 72.47 | 12,580 |
| Nyuswa | 55108 | 33.78 | 4,063 |
| Shiyabanye/Nhlangwini | 55109 | 85.96 | 11,476 |
| Ukuthula | 55111 | 20.04 | 10,208 |
| Vukani | 55112 | 55.92 | 9,804 |
| Vumakwenza/Sangcwaba | 55113 | 94.13 | 4,524 |
| Remainder of the municipality | 55110 | 1,091.78 | 16,873 |
Politics
The municipal council consists of twenty-seven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Fourteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in fourteen wards, while the remaining thirteen 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) won a majority of eighteen seats on the council. The following table shows the results of the election.[7]
| Party | Ward | List | Total seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
| African National Congress | 18,094 | 61.68 | 13 | 18,694 | 64.42 | 5 | 18 | |
| Economic Freedom Fighters | 3,375 | 11.50 | 0 | 3,698 | 12.74 | 3 | 3 | |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | 2,043 | 6.96 | 0 | 2,790 | 9.61 | 2 | 2 | |
| Independent candidates | 3,280 | 11.18 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Democratic Alliance | 1,026 | 3.50 | 0 | 1,104 | 3.80 | 1 | 1 | |
| African Independent Congress | 813 | 2.77 | 0 | 1,046 | 3.60 | 1 | 1 | |
| National Freedom Party | 187 | 0.64 | 0 | 944 | 3.25 | 1 | 1 | |
| People's Freedom Party | 210 | 0.72 | 0 | 178 | 0.61 | 0 | 0 | |
| Abantu Batho Congress | 114 | 0.39 | 0 | 152 | 0.52 | 0 | 0 | |
| African Transformation Movement | 68 | 0.23 | 0 | 194 | 0.67 | 0 | 0 | |
| African Christian Democratic Party | 99 | 0.34 | 0 | 127 | 0.44 | 0 | 0 | |
| South African Peoples Movement | 27 | 0.09 | 0 | 92 | 0.32 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 29,336 | 100.00 | 14 | 29,019 | 100.00 | 13 | 27 | |
| Valid votes | 29,336 | 96.22 | 29,019 | 95.89 | ||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,154 | 3.78 | 1,245 | 4.11 | ||||
| Total votes | 30,490 | 100.00 | 30,264 | 100.00 | ||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 57,551 | 52.98 | 57,551 | 52.59 | ||||