Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality
Local municipality in Eastern Cape, South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kumkani Mhlontlo Municipality (formerly Mhlontlo Municipality; Xhosa: uMasipala waseKumkani Mhlontlo) is a local municipality within the OR Tambo District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
Kumkani Mhlontlo | |
|---|---|
|
Seal | |
 Location in the Eastern Cape | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | OR Tambo |
| Seat | Qumbu |
| Wards | 26 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | Cllr Mbulelo Jara (ANC) |
| • Speaker | Cllr Eddie Pula (ANC) |
| • Chief Whip | Cllr Ntombikayise Gcaba (ANC) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,826 km2 (1,091 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | |
• Total | 186,391 |
| • Density | 65.96/km2 (170.8/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 97.6% |
| • Coloured | 0.3% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.2% |
| • White | 0.1% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 94.9% |
| • English | 2.3% |
| • Other | 2.8% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Municipal code | EC156 |
The Kumkani Mhlontlo Municipality is a municipality situated along the N2 national route between Mthatha and KwaBhaca. It encompasses the towns of Qumbu and Tsolo, together with the surrounding villages. There are three hospitals within the municipality; the Nessie Knight Hospital in Sulenkama village (Qumbu), the St Lucy Hospital in Ngcolosi village (Tsolo) and the Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital near the town of Tsolo. The municipality is the seat of the AmaMpondomise Kingdom, which seats at Lower Kroza village near Qumbu.
Mhlontlo was a king (Xhosa: Kumkani) of the AmaMpondomise people during the 19th century.[3]
A census was held in 2011, detailing the population and area of the main places in Mhlontlo and their demographics.[4]
Politics
The municipal council consists of fifty-one members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twenty-six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twenty-six wards, while the remaining twenty-five 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 forty seats on the council. The following table shows the results of the election. [5]
| Party | Ward | List | Total seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
| African National Congress | 29,816 | 71.69 | 25 | 32,001 | 77.74 | 15 | 40 | |
| United Democratic Movement | 2,218 | 5.33 | 0 | 2,749 | 6.68 | 3 | 3 | |
| Economic Freedom Fighters | 2,294 | 5.52 | 0 | 2,491 | 6.05 | 3 | 3 | |
| Independent candidates | 4,436 | 10.67 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| African Transformation Movement | 1,757 | 4.22 | 0 | 1,810 | 4.40 | 2 | 2 | |
| Independent South African National Civic Organisation | 333 | 0.80 | 0 | 1,253 | 3.04 | 1 | 1 | |
| Democratic Alliance | 612 | 1.47 | 0 | 609 | 1.48 | 1 | 1 | |
| Batho Pele Movement | 120 | 0.29 | 0 | 98 | 0.24 | 0 | 0 | |
| Civic Independent | 2 | 0.00 | 0 | 153 | 0.37 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 41,588 | 100.00 | 26 | 41,164 | 100.00 | 25 | 51 | |
| Valid votes | 41,588 | 97.02 | 41,164 | 97.06 | ||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 1,276 | 2.98 | 1,246 | 2.94 | ||||
| Total votes | 42,864 | 100.00 | 42,410 | 100.00 | ||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 93,164 | 46.01 | 93,164 | 45.52 | ||||
Nature conservation
The Lambasi Nature Reserve, encompassing some 8,810 ha, was proclaimed in 2014 and placed under management of the Lambasi community. The reserve includes the Mzoboshe Horseshoe and parts of the Tsitsa and Tina River valleys which are special features of the Tsitsa Falls Valley. The initiative aimed to supplement income of the community which was dependent on welfare payments, subsistence agriculture and migrant labour.[6]