uMlalazi Local Municipality lies in the King Cetshwayo District of KwaZulu-Natal, on the province’s
north coast. The 2022 census counted 241,416 people across 2,213.9 km², up from 213,601 in 2011. Eshowe
is the municipal seat, roughly 165 km north of Durban.
The municipality takes its name from the uMlalazi River, which rises inland and reaches the Indian Ocean
near Mtunzini. Beyond Eshowe, Mtunzini and KwaGingindlovu, the population is spread across traditional
council wards such as Mpungose, Mzimela, Ntuli, Nzuza, Shange and Khoza, each with its own chief and
tens of thousands of residents.
Towns and Villages in uMlalazi
Eshowe anchors the municipality’s north-west, sitting in forested hill country that once housed a
Norwegian mission station and later a British colonial fort. Mtunzini and KwaGingindlovu sit closer to
the coast, where sugar-cane estates run down to the Indian Ocean. GeoNames records 36 named places
in uMlalazi; the table below lists the largest, followed by the remaining settlements.
| Place | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Eshowe | Seat | 17,663 |
| Emaqeleni | Town | 2,741 |
| Mtunzini | Town | 2,635 |
| KwaGingindlovu | Town | 1,328 |
- aMatikulu
- Blackburn
- Brooklyn
- Covington
- Delville
- eNdlayangubo
- Ensingweni
- eNtumeni
- Entumeni Mission
- Fasimba
- Gaqangezandla
- Gezinsila
- Good Hope
- Hamewith
- Highfield
- Holy Cross
- Inkunzana
- Khovothi
- Macekane
- Mbongolwane
- Mngampondo
- Ngutweni
- Nkwalini
- Nozandla
- Nsingweni
- Obanjeni
- Ohubandaba
- Overdene Estate
- Oyemeni
- Shakaland
- Tugela
- Wombane
Geography
uMlalazi stretches from the Zululand escarpment down to the Indian Ocean at Mtunzini, giving it both
inland farmland and a short stretch of coastline dotted with coastal forest and wetlands. The municipality
takes its name from the uMlalazi River, which reaches the sea near Mtunzini. It borders
uMfolozi, Mthonjaneni,
Nkandla and uMhlathuze
within King Cetshwayo District.
Demographics
The population grew from 213,601 in the 2011 census to 241,416 in 2022, a rise of roughly 13%. The
municipality is predominantly rural, with Eshowe and Mtunzini its main urban nodes and the majority of
residents living in traditional council areas around the two towns. isiZulu is the first language of
almost all residents.
Local government in uMlalazi combines an elected municipal council, responsible for water, roads,
refuse and local economic development, with traditional leaders (amakhosi) who administer customary land
in the wards outside Eshowe and Mtunzini.
Economy and Local Life
Sugar cane and timber farming dominate the rural economy around Eshowe and Mtunzini, alongside
public-sector employment and local trade in the town centres. Eshowe also serves as a regional service
centre for the surrounding traditional areas, with schools, clinics and government offices drawing
residents from across uMlalazi and neighbouring municipalities.
Eshowe’s elevation gives it a cooler, wetter climate than the Zululand coast, supporting the timber
plantations that ring the town; Mtunzini and KwaGingindlovu, at sea level, are warmer and more humid.
History
Eshowe grew up around a 19th-century Norwegian mission station before becoming a British colonial
administrative post. Like the other local municipalities carved from the former KwaZulu homeland,
uMlalazi itself was established in December 2000 as part of South Africa’s nationwide local government
demarcation, which redrew municipal boundaries across the country.
Getting There
The R66 links Eshowe to Melmoth and inland Zululand, while the R68 runs south to Empangeni and Richards
Bay. The R102 and N2 give Mtunzini and KwaGingindlovu access to Richards Bay and Durban. King Shaka
International Airport, near Durban, is the nearest major airport.
FAQ
What is the seat of uMlalazi Municipality?
Eshowe.
What is uMlalazi’s population?
241,416 people at the 2022 census, on 2,213.9 km².
Which district is uMlalazi part of?
King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
What are the main towns?
Eshowe, Mtunzini and KwaGingindlovu.
How far is Eshowe from Durban?
About 165 km by road via the R66 and N2.
Does uMlalazi have a coastline?
Yes, a short Indian Ocean frontage around Mtunzini.