UPhongolo Local Municipality
Encyclopedia
uPhongolo Local Municipality, is a local municipality
in the northern area of Zululand
, in the South Africa
n province of KwaZulu-Natal
.
In 2007, the uPhongolo Municipality contained 154 rural shops, 124 schools, 27 hotels, resorts or conference facilities, 15 clinics, 12 recreational facilities, 6 community halls, 4 post offices, 2 police stations, and 2 law courts. The municipality is largely composed of traditional areas, with tribal land patterns and high density rural settlements. 82% of the population lives in rural areas.
and the Richards Bay complex, and on to Durban
in the south. It also connects with Swaziland
just to the north of the uPhongolo Municipal area. This is the primary development corridor in uPhongolo.
The two main rivers in the municipality are the Mkuze River in the south and the Phongolo (Pongola) River in the north, the latter feeding the Pongolapoort Dam, located on the eastern boundary of the municipality.
The Phongolo River rises just east of Wakkerstroom
and drains an area of nearly 8000 km² where the rainfall often exceeds 1000mm a year. Because the irrigation weir
at Pongola
could not fully regulate the river's erratic water flow, the 89-meter-high Pongolapoort Dam
wall was built in 1972 in a narrow gorge in the Lebombo Mountains
. Phongolo is the Zulu word for "trough," referring to the many deep pools with steep sides along the river's course.
The public sector is the dominant provider of employment opportunities. However, the informal sector is expanding, primarily based on the taxi industry, informal financial services and taverns.
Large areas of sugarcane
and citrus are cultivated in the region.
The uPhongolo Municipality provides regional access to a wide range of tourist activities outside its own boundaries. It has within its area of jurisdiction two key tourist attractions: the Ithala Game Reserve and the Pongolapoort Dam. These attractions are complemented by a large number of private game farms and game reserves, on which a number of lodges and other tourist facilities are located.
Average income levels are low, with 66% of households receiving no income or less than R2400 per month. The traditional and rural areas are the most poverty stricken. Unemployment levels are relatively high; only 13.43% of the population are formally employed. Close to half of the population are children, placing pressure on the need for educational and social facilities. Many of these children are orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.
and 420 km from Johannesburg
. The town has about 10,000 inhabitants and is the centre of a fertile farming area, the main products being sugarcane, citrus and cotton. Pongola is like a green oasis. It has nice residential areas, streets lined with palm trees, assorted supermarkets, an Internet café, an arts & crafts centre, a hospital, a small airport and a 9-hole golf course.
Local municipality (South Africa)
In South Africa, a local municipality or Category B municipality is a type of municipality that serves as the third, and most local, tier of local government...
in the northern area of Zululand
Zululand District Municipality
Zululand is one of the 11 district municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of Zululand is Ulundi. The majority of its 804,456 people speak IsiZulu . The district code is DC26...
, in the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n province of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
.
In 2007, the uPhongolo Municipality contained 154 rural shops, 124 schools, 27 hotels, resorts or conference facilities, 15 clinics, 12 recreational facilities, 6 community halls, 4 post offices, 2 police stations, and 2 law courts. The municipality is largely composed of traditional areas, with tribal land patterns and high density rural settlements. 82% of the population lives in rural areas.
Geography
The N2 national road corridor passes through the uPhongolo area as a national link between GautengGauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
and the Richards Bay complex, and on to Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in the south. It also connects with Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
just to the north of the uPhongolo Municipal area. This is the primary development corridor in uPhongolo.
The two main rivers in the municipality are the Mkuze River in the south and the Phongolo (Pongola) River in the north, the latter feeding the Pongolapoort Dam, located on the eastern boundary of the municipality.
The Phongolo River rises just east of Wakkerstroom
Wakkerstroom
Wakkerstroom, , is the second oldest town in Mpumalanga province in South Africa. It was established in 1859 and its name is an Afrikaans translation of the Zulu name for the river that flows near the town, uThaka, ...
and drains an area of nearly 8000 km² where the rainfall often exceeds 1000mm a year. Because the irrigation weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
at Pongola
Pongola, KwaZulu-Natal
Pongola is a small town situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, on the Pongola River, only 10 kilometres from the Swaziland border. It has 50 km² of sugarcane and subtropical fruit plantations surrounding it. During the Depression years of the 1930s, drastic irrigation systems were...
could not fully regulate the river's erratic water flow, the 89-meter-high Pongolapoort Dam
Pongolapoort Dam
Pongolapoort Dam is a dam in South Africa in the Pongola River. The Dam was constructed at the eastern end of the narrow gorge separating the Lebombo and Ubombo ranges.It was established in 1973.- References :...
wall was built in 1972 in a narrow gorge in the Lebombo Mountains
Lebombo Mountains
The Lebombo Mountains, also called Lubombo Mountains, are an 800km long, narrow range of mountains in Southern Africa stretching from Hluhluwe in KwaZulu-Natal in the south to Punda Maria in the Limpopo Province in South Africa in the north. Part of the mountains are found in South Africa,...
. Phongolo is the Zulu word for "trough," referring to the many deep pools with steep sides along the river's course.
Economy
Agriculture and tourism form the basis for the municipality’s economy. Major development components consist of game and nature reserves, agricultural activities, traditional settlement areas and some urban nodes.The public sector is the dominant provider of employment opportunities. However, the informal sector is expanding, primarily based on the taxi industry, informal financial services and taverns.
Large areas of sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
and citrus are cultivated in the region.
The uPhongolo Municipality provides regional access to a wide range of tourist activities outside its own boundaries. It has within its area of jurisdiction two key tourist attractions: the Ithala Game Reserve and the Pongolapoort Dam. These attractions are complemented by a large number of private game farms and game reserves, on which a number of lodges and other tourist facilities are located.
Average income levels are low, with 66% of households receiving no income or less than R2400 per month. The traditional and rural areas are the most poverty stricken. Unemployment levels are relatively high; only 13.43% of the population are formally employed. Close to half of the population are children, placing pressure on the need for educational and social facilities. Many of these children are orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Pongola
The town of Pongola (uPhongolo in Zulu) is the most developed town in the uPhongolo Municipality. It is situated at the N2 freeway, 380 kilometres from DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and 420 km from Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. The town has about 10,000 inhabitants and is the centre of a fertile farming area, the main products being sugarcane, citrus and cotton. Pongola is like a green oasis. It has nice residential areas, streets lined with palm trees, assorted supermarkets, an Internet café, an arts & crafts centre, a hospital, a small airport and a 9-hole golf course.