Strategically located
Harry Gwala District Municipality includes the southernmost part of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park adjacent to Lesotho and borders the Eastern Cape Province in the west. Harry Gwala comprises four local municipalities: Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Umzimkhulu, Greater Kokstad and Ubuhlebezwe.
Ingonyama Trust land makes up a large proportion of the municipality and includes several tribal authorities’ areas of administration.
Harry Gwala is well endowed with natural resources and has vast potential for the development of its foremost economic sectors namely agriculture and tourism. The district has an abundance of high quality soils, high altitude, water, and climatic extremes. Commercial farms and a large extent of commercial plantations form the bedrock of the economy of the region. A significant portion of dairy consumed in KwaZulu-Natal is produced within the district.
Service Centre and Commercial Hub
The town of Kokstad in the Greater Kokstad Municipality is strategically located on the N2 Development Corridor, which is the main transport arterial linking KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. The town serves as the service centre and commercial hub for most of East Griqualand and much of the Eastern Cape. Kokstad has the potential to re-align the district into a competitive and attractive investment destination. The municipality has an abundance of unique and attractive natural, cultural resources and open space amenities that could be used to enhance the local economy.
Well Located
Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality is well located from a regional perspective within southern KwaZulu-Natal between Pietermaritzburg, Kokstad and the Eastern Cape. The seat of the Harry Gwala District Council is the town of Ixopo, which is located approximately 85km south east of Pietermaritzburg, capital of KwaZulu-Natal. Ixopo forms the primary development node of the municipality. Ixopo plays an important role in terms of the possible location for industry, commerce and other economic activity. The town is a major education and health centre and assists in the diffusion of new ideas and technologies to the rural areas. Many government departments and essential service providers are also based here.
Largest Local Municipality
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Local Municipality is the largest municipality within the district, constituting 35% of the area. The local municipality fulfils the role of being the administrative and commercial centre for the district. Much of the municipal area consists of tribal lands, which dominate the area. The municipality is known for the World Heritage Site of uKhahlamba, which brings local and foreign tourists to this mountainous area. The relatively unspoilt natural environment has high eco-tourism and adventure tourism potential. Greater tourism diversity could be achieved through a wider range of facilities and attractions including historical, cultural events and ecotourism adventures.
Subsistence Living
Umzimkhulu Local Municipality neighbours Ugu District in the east, Msunduzi in the north, Lesotho in the east and the Eastern Cape in the south. Of the population, about 90,8% reside in rural areas, while the remaining 9,2% are urban based. While development projects are centred on infrastructure and service delivery, backlogs remain vast with respect to water, sanitation and electricity provision.
Currently agriculture comprises cattle (red meat and dairy), poultry, wool, maize, sugar cane, citrus, vegetables and timber. Much of the farming operations are at subsistence level, despite the potential for commercial-scale ventures.
