Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality was formed after the August 2016 local elections by merging the former Hibiscus Coast and Ezinqoleni local municipalities, in Ugu District, KwaZulu-Natal. The 2022 census counted 362,134 people (308,675 in 2011) across 1,487 km². The seat is Port Shepstone.
Quick Facts
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| District | Ugu |
| Seat | Port Shepstone |
| Status | Local Municipality (71-member council) |
| Area | 1,487 km² |
| Population (2011) | 308,675 |
| Population (2022) | 362,134 |
Towns and Villages in Ray Nkonyeni
| Place | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Port Shepstone | Seat | 52,793 |
| Margate | Town/village | 34,407 |
| Ga-Malakhe | Town/village | 16,891 |
| Port Edward | Town/village | 6,872 |
| Hibberdene | Town/village | 2,280 |
Other settlements and localities in the municipality:
- Allerton
- Anerley
- Borderland Estate
- Braemar
- Bushyvales
- Doc Wilson Point
- Eden
- Eedeswold
- Frome
- Gamalakhe-A
- Gcilima
- Glendale
- Glenfield
- Glenmore Beach
- Izingolweni
- Izotsha
- KwaCele
- KwaGamalakhe
- KwaHlomendlini
- KwaMadlala
- KwaMshiwa
- KwaNkunswana
- KwaNonhlanga
- KwaNzimakwe
- Leisure Crest
- Louisiana
- Mahlubeni
- Marburg
- Margate Retirement Village
- Marina Beach
- Mbango
- Melville
- Moguntia
- Mpenjati
- Mpeshu
- Mpunzi Drift
- Munster
- Nositha
- Nqabeni
- Oatlands
- Oribi Gorge
- Oslo Beach
- Paddock
- Palm Beach
- Patwa’s
- Portobello
- Portobello Beach
- Ramsgate
- Saint Michael’s on Sea
- Sanlameer
- Sea Park
- Sea-View
- Seafield
- Shelly Beach
- Southbroom
- Southport
- Sunwich Port
- Thorndale
- Thundeza
- Tonjeni
- Trafalgar
- Ubango
- Umtentweni
- Umzumbe
- Uvongo Beach
- eSigodaneni
Geography
Ray Nkonyeni covers the whole southern KwaZulu-Natal coast from Hibberdene down to Port Edward at the Eastern Cape border, plus the inland Ezinqoleni area around Izingolweni, within Ugu District. It borders Umzumbe and uMuziwabantu inland, and is the largest of the four Ugu municipalities by population.
Demographics
Population rose from 308,675 at the 2011 census to 362,134 in 2022, a gain of about 17%. Residents are predominantly Black African (83%), with White African (9.9%), Indian/Asian (5.6%) and Coloured (1.3%) communities concentrated in the coastal resort towns. Population density is about 243.5 people per km², the highest in Ugu District.
Economy and Local Life
Tourism along the Margate–Port Edward beachfront is the main formal economic driver, alongside Port Shepstone’s role as the district’s administrative and retail centre; inland wards remain largely agricultural.
History
Port Shepstone was founded in 1867, named for Natal colonial secretary Sir Theophilus Shepstone, and grew as a port and later rail terminus serving the sugar and dairy trade of the south coast. The modern municipality dates only to August 2016, when the former Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality — itself an earlier merger of smaller south-coast towns — combined with the small inland Ezinqoleni Local Municipality to form the present Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality. The merger united South Africa’s best-known holiday coast with a much smaller, mostly rural inland ward structure under one council. Port Shepstone’s role as a port dates to the 19th-century sugar and dairy trade, and its harbour has since given way to a road and rail-based economy centred on retail and light industry.
Getting There
The N2 runs the length of the municipality along the coast; Margate has a small regional airport with limited scheduled flights. The nearest major airport is King Shaka International, north of Durban, roughly an hour and a half from Port Shepstone. Minibus taxis and long-distance coaches serve every coastal town along the N2 corridor.
FAQ
What is the seat of Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality?
Port Shepstone.
How was Ray Nkonyeni formed?
By merging the Hibiscus Coast and Ezinqoleni local municipalities after the August 2016 elections.
What is the population?
362,134 at the 2022 census, up from 308,675 in 2011.
Which district is it part of?
Ugu District Municipality.
What are the main coastal towns?
Margate, Ramsgate, Southbroom, Port Edward and Hibberdene, among others.
Does Margate have an airport?
Yes, a small regional airport with limited scheduled flights.
Is Ray Nkonyeni the biggest municipality in Ugu?
Yes, by both population and share of the district total — about 47% of Ugu’s residents.