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Vulamehlo Local Municipality

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 / 30.217°S 30.600°E / -30.217; 30.600Coordinates: 30°13′S 30°36′E / 30.217°S 30.600°E / -30.217; 30.600
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District Ugu
Seat Scottburgh
Wards 10
Government
 • Type Municipal council
 • Mayor W.T. Dube
Area
 • Total 960 km2 (370 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 77,403
 • Density 81/km2 (210/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African 98.9%
 • Coloured 0.2%
 • Indian/Asian 0.5%
 • White 0.3%
First languages (2011)
 • Zulu 94.6%
 • English 1.7%
 • Southern Ndebele 1.3%
 • Other 2.4%
Time zone SAST (UTC+2)
Municipal code KZN211

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 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 River, Lovu River, Msimbazi River, Mzimayi River, uMzinto and Mkhumbane rivers.

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 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.


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