List of Towns, Villages and Cities in Ulundi Local Municipality

Ulundi Local Municipality lies in southern Zululand District, KwaZulu-Natal, and takes its name from
the former Zulu royal capital established by King Cetshwayo. Ulundi town is the seat. The 2022 census
counted 221,977 people across 3,250.6 km², up from 188,317 in 2011.

The 2001 census identified 13 main populated places in Ulundi, including Babanango, Mahlabatini,
Mbatha, Mpungose and Ximba, alongside Ulundi town itself — a mix of the administrative centre and
surrounding traditional wards.

Towns and Villages in Ulundi

Ulundi town, built up as a KwaZulu homeland capital, is the main urban centre; Babanango and Mahlabatini
are the municipality’s other significant settlements. GeoNames records 31 named places, listed
below.

• Bululwane
• Denny Dalton
• Dlebe
• Feessaal
• Goje
• Koningskroon
• KwaCeza
• KwaMahlati
• KwaZondela
• Langgewacht
• Mfabeni
• Mkhiweni
• Nhlazatshe
• Nkaphane
• Nkonjeni
• Nqulwane
• Nqunyaneni
• Ntabankulu
• Ntilingwe
• Okhukho
• Riversmeet
• Rooidrif
• Surreyvale
• Swarthoogte
• Thembeni
• Warmbaths
• Witvoloos

Geography

Ulundi sits in the southern part of Zululand District, on hilly grassland between the uThukela and
Mfolozi river systems, terrain that gave the historic Zulu kingdom natural defensive advantages. Within Zululand District it
neighbours Abaqulusi, eDumbe,
Nongoma and uPhongolo.

Demographics

Population grew from 188,317 in 2011 to 221,977 in 2022, up about 18%. The municipality remains
predominantly rural, with nearly 40% of households reporting no income and only around 12.5% of the
population formally employed.

Traditional leaders (amakhosi) administer customary land across most of Ulundi, working alongside the
elected municipal council based in Ulundi town, the seat of both the local and the Zululand district
administration for many years.

Economy and Local Life

Farming and public-sector jobs are the main sources of income, with government offices concentrated in
Ulundi town reflecting its former homeland-capital role. Game reserves and Zulu heritage sites around
Ulundi, including the site of the former royal capital and the 1879 Battle of Ulundi, give the area
undeveloped tourism potential.

Government and municipal offices in Ulundi remain a major local employer, a legacy of its decades as
KwaZulu homeland capital, while cattle farming and small-scale cropping continue on communal land
across the surrounding wards, and Ulundi’s shopping centres and hospital serve as a regional hub for
surrounding Zululand municipalities.

History

Ulundi was King Cetshwayo’s royal capital until British forces defeated the Zulu army at the Battle of
Ulundi in 1879, ending the Anglo-Zulu War. It was rebuilt as capital of the KwaZulu homeland in the
apartheid era, and the local municipality itself was established in December 2000 as part of South
Africa’s nationwide local government demarcation.

Getting There

The R66 and R34 meet at Ulundi town, linking it to Eshowe, Vryheid and Melmoth. Ulundi Airport offers
scheduled domestic flights; King Shaka International Airport near Durban is the nearest major hub.

FAQ

What is the seat of Ulundi Municipality?
Ulundi town.

What is Ulundi’s population?
221,977 people at the 2022 census, on 3,250.6 km².

Which district is Ulundi part of?
Zululand District Municipality.

What are the main towns?
Ulundi, Babanango and Mahlabatini.

What language do most Ulundi residents speak?
isiZulu, spoken by the large majority of residents.

Is Ulundi mostly urban or rural?
Mostly rural, with Ulundi town the main urban centre.

Does Ulundi have its own airport?
Yes, Ulundi Airport offers scheduled domestic flights.

Was Ulundi a former capital?
Yes, of the Zulu Kingdom under King Cetshwayo and later of the KwaZulu homeland.

What is Ulundi’s total area?
3,250.6 km².

What was Ulundi’s population in 2011?
188,317 people, growing to 221,977 by 2022.

Was Ulundi a former capital?
Yes, of the Zulu Kingdom under King Cetshwayo and later of the KwaZulu homeland.