Vulamehlo Local Municipality
Encyclopedia
Vulamehlo Local Municipality is a local municipality in Ugu District Municipality
, KwaZulu-Natal
. It is located south of the eThekwini
municipality and is 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
.
The major river systems within the area are the uMkhomazi, Mpambanyoni and Mthwalume rivers. The other perennial rivers which flow through Vulamehlo include the Nungwane, Lovu, Msimbazi, Mzimayi, uMzinto and Mkhumbane rivers.
, 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 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.
Ugu District Municipality
Ugu is one of the 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Ugu is Zulu for "coast". The seat of Ugu is Port Shepstone. The majority of its 704 001 people speak IsiZulu...
, 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....
. It is located south of the eThekwini
Ethekwini
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality created in 2000 that includes the city of Durban, South Africa and surrounding towns. eThekwini is one of the 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The majority of its 3,090,126 people speak Zulu...
municipality and is bordered by uMdoni
UMdoni Local Municipality
uMdoni Local Municipality is an administrative area in the Ugu District of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Umdoni is an isiZulu name for the indegeous tree, Mdoni ....
to the east, Mkhambathini
Mkhambathini Local Municipality
Mkhambathini Local Municipality is an administrative area in the UMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Mkhabathini is the isiZulu name for Table Mountain....
and Richmond
Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal
Richmond is a town situated on the banks of the upper Illovo River in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, approximately 38 km south-west of Pietermaritzburg. Timber, sugarcane, poultry, citrus fruit and dairy goods are produced here...
to the north and Ubuhlebezwe
Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality
Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality is an administrative area in the Sisonke District of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Ubuhlebezwe is an isiZulu name meaning "The Beauty of the Land". The name is derived from Alan Paton's novel, Cry, The Beloved Country....
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
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is a governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wildlife conservation areas and biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Their headquarters is in Queen Elizabeth Park situated on the northern slopes of Pietermaritzburg, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial...
.
Topography
The municipality is characterised by sharp valleys, river systems, and hilly, broken terrain. Approximately 30% of the area is estimated to contain slopes of 1:3 and steeper. The fragmented and steep topography has limited development and agricultural production, and has greatly contributed to the dispersed nature of the area's settlement patterns.The major river systems within the area are the uMkhomazi, Mpambanyoni and Mthwalume rivers. The other perennial rivers which flow through Vulamehlo include the Nungwane, Lovu, Msimbazi, Mzimayi, uMzinto and Mkhumbane rivers.
Economy and infrastructure
The Vulamehlo Municipality is largely made up of traditional settlements and is currently 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 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...
, Port Shepstone, Ixopo, Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
and 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 main sources of income and economic activities in the municipality include subsistence farming and commercial agriculture, including the production 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 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 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.
Settlements
- Amahwaqa
- Beula
- Bhobhobho
- Bhudubhudu
- Braemar
- Dududu
- Dumisa
- Echobeni
- Egudwini
- Ehlanzeni
- Emahlathini
- eMandlalathi
- Emgangeni
- eMjunundwini
- eTshenkombo
- eWubwini
- Itshehlophe
- kaDlangezwa
- kaMpuco
- Kenterton
- KwaDumisa
- KwaFakazi
- KwaLembe
- KwaQumbu
- Kwa-Rwayi
- KwaSunduzwayo
- Madudubala
- Magabeni
- Mashiwase
- Mathongwana
- Mayfield
- Mbongolwane
- Mbulula
- Mdumezulu
- Mfume
- Mkhumbani
- Mkhunya
- Mphambanyoni
- Mqangqala
- Mtoli
- Mysieland
- Ncazuka
- Ncombololo
- Ndaya
- Ngwadini
- Nhlazanyoni
- Nkwali
- Ntabesikopo
- Ntontonto
- Ntshaseni
- Ntshingwana
- Ntukwini
- Ntweka
- Odidini
- Okhalweni
- Ophondweni
- Salaap
- Umzinto NU
- Ungendwa
- Vongunzana
- Vulindlela