uMhlosinga Development Agency

uMkhanyakude Overview

“north east kwazulu natal” - The uMkhanyakude district is located in the north-eastern corner of the KwaZulu-Natal province and shares a national border with Mozambique in the north, with Swaziland in the northwest and is bounded to the east by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

“rapid growth” - Named after the Umkhanyakude Tree (Acacia Xanthophyllous, Fever Tree which translated to English means “the light in the distance”), the district covers an area of approximately 13859 km2 and has a population of some 573 341 persons. The district is largely rural with only one formal town, Mtubatuba in the south. There are several towns in the area experiencing rapid growth; these include Mkuze, Hluhluwe, Jozini, Manguzi and Mbazwana. The centre of Jozini, in particular, has experienced considerable growth in investment and is fast becoming one of the strategic development nodes within the district.

“provincial markets” - Primary access to the district is by road via the national N2 route (which links the southern and northern parts of the KwaZulu-Natal province), and via the coastal SDI route, MR439, which upon completion, will link the national N2 route with the city of Maputo, Mozambique. The district is strategically linked to the provincial markets of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, and to the neighbouring market of Swaziland, via the N2 route.

“international markets”- In terms of international trade links, the district has access to global markets through the provincial ports of Durban and Richards Bay. Upon completion of the SDI route between Hluhluwe and Maputo, the district will also have a direct link to the port of Maputo, Mozambique.

“rich in natural resources” - The uMkhanyakude district has outstanding potential for agriculture and tourism development; the district has a wealth of natural beauty, outstanding landscapes, a favourable climate and fertile soils for major agricultural production. The district is closely associated with the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, “Maputaland”, the Makhatini Flats and the Pongola-Poort/Jozini Dam (constructed in the 1970's with the intention of unleashing the agricultural potential of the area).

“latent development potential” - However, an anomaly exists in that for years the district has been one of the most widely-researched areas in terms of its latent development potential, yet still encompasses some the poorest and most underdeveloped regions in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, and of the country as a whole. In the midst of the exceptional physical endowments, pristine natural environs, an abundance of unique ecosystems and the rich cultural tapestry that distinguish the area, there has been a distinctive lack of progress with development interventions, to build sustainable economic gains around these opportunities.

“initiatives” - Several initiatives have been taken in the post-apartheid period, in an effort to boost economic activity in the sub region, including:

• The recognition of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park), as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
• The rollout of the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative (LSDI), a joint program by South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique that aims to unlock economic development potential of the wider Ubombo sub-region within the framework of the South African Development Community (SADC).
• The Roll-back Malaria Campaign, a co-operative effort between the governments of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland, to remove the threat of malaria from the region.
• The Visa waiver agreements with Swaziland and Mozambique (effective as of April 2005), to support mutually-beneficial social and economic interchange in the region.
• Tripartite conservation agreements with the two neighbouring SADC countries of Swaziland and Mozambique focused on the future establishment of a Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA), to boost social and economic interchange, and tourism in the region.

The district is comprised of six Municipalities, namely:

• At district level, the Umkhanyakude District Municipality (DC 27);
• Five local municipalities, that is:
  - Umhlabuyalingana (KZ 271);
  - Jozini (KZ 272);
  - The Big 5 False Bay Municipality  (KZ 273);
  - Hlabisa Municipality (KZ274);
  - Mtubatuba Municipality (KZ 275);
• District Management area iSimangaliso (ZDMA 27), roughly comprising the entire iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the Hluhluwe, iMfolozi and Mkuze Game Reserves.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park has been extended to include the entire area of the Maputaland marine reserve and the Kosi-Lake system, therefore effectively covering the entire District coastline up to the border with Mozambique.