Kumkani Mhlontlo Local Municipality

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
Local municipality
Seal
Location in the Eastern Cape
Country	South Africa
Province	Eastern Cape
District	OR Tambo
Seat	Qumbu
Wards	26
Government [1]
• 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) [2]
• Black African	97.6%
• Coloured	0.3%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	0.1%
First languages (2011) [2]
• 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]

Main places

The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:^[4]

Place	Code	Area (km2)	Population
Amacwera	23501	177.82	20,419
Amampondomise	23502	109.24	12,566
Amazizi	23503	0.35	0
Asentshonalanga	23504	8.02	475
Basuto	23505	7.95	0
Bhele	23506	70.31	4,240
Bovube	23507	197.19	18,717
Culunca	23508	99.50	9,501
Ebotwa	23509	203.35	22,254
Emaqa-Kambani	23510	162.71	10,214
Hala	23511	67.98	2,907
Hlubi	23512	280.77	22,631
Kambi	23513	6.87	369
Ketani	23514	70.06	7,600
Lwandlolubomvu	23515	48.43	1,625
Makaula	23516	24.83	629
Masizakhe	23517	293.67	18,661
Matolandile/Zimelelandile	23518	32.91	52
Mbalisweni	23519	125.22	10,021
Mhlontlo	23520	19.82	6
Ngqubusini	23521	106.95	5,855
Ngwane	23522	16.95	633
Northern Pondomise	23523	294.50	15,987
Qumbu	23524	38.15	3,275
Tsolo Part 1	23525	53.97	5,678
Tsolo Part 2	23526	184.59	2,361

Politics

Main article: Mhlontlo Local Municipality elections

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]