Enoch Mgijima | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 31°43′08″S26°19′08″E / 31.719°S 26.319°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | Eastern Cape |
District | Chris Hani |
Seat | Komani |
Government | |
• Type | Municipal council |
• Mayor | Madoda Papiyana (elected December 2022) [1] (ANC) |
• Speaker | Bongiwe Gladness van Heerden (ANC) |
• Chief Whip | Nombuyiselo Selka Ndlebe (ANC) |
Area | |
• Total | 13,584 km2 (5,245 sq mi) |
Population (2011, 2022) [2] | |
• Total | 245,975 297,055 |
Black African 269,952 White 10,685 Asian 1,622 Coloured 13,003 Other group 1,744 | |
Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
Municipal code | EC139 |
Enoch Mgijima Municipality (Xhosa : uMasipala wase Enoch Mgijima) is a local municipality within the Chris Hani District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It was established after the August 2016 local elections by merging the Tsolwana, Inkwanca, and Lukhanji local municipalities. [3]
The municipal council consists of sixty-eight members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-four wards, while the remaining thirty-four are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of forty-four seats on the council. The following table shows the results of the election. [4]
Enoch Mgijima local election, 1 November 2021 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Votes | Seats | ||||||
Ward | List | Total | % | Ward | List | Total | ||
African National Congress | 33,057 | 34,676 | 67,733 | 62.2% | 32 | 12 | 44 | |
Democratic Alliance | 5,939 | 5,700 | 11,639 | 10.7% | 1 | 6 | 7 | |
Economic Freedom Fighters | 3,997 | 4,565 | 8,562 | 7.9% | 0 | 6 | 6 | |
The Independents | 3,033 | 4,196 | 7,229 | 6.6% | 0 | 5 | 5 | |
Independent candidates | 5,521 | – | 5,521 | 5.1% | 1 | – | 1 | |
Independent South African National Civic Organisation | 666 | 2,323 | 2,989 | 2.7% | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
United Democratic Movement | 569 | 738 | 1,307 | 1.2% | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Patriotic Alliance | 582 | 560 | 1,142 | 1.0% | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
African Transformation Movement | 353 | 549 | 902 | 0.8% | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
5 other parties | 892 | 1,034 | 1,926 | 1.8% | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 54,609 | 54,341 | 108,950 | 34 | 34 | 68 | ||
Valid votes | 54,609 | 54,341 | 108,950 | 97.7% | ||||
Spoilt votes | 1,116 | 1,463 | 2,579 | 2.3% | ||||
Total votes cast | 55,725 | 55,804 | 111,529 | |||||
Voter turnout | 56,144 | |||||||
Registered voters | 118,637 | |||||||
Turnout percentage | 47.3% |
In October 2021, a sports facility costing R20 million was opened. Originally intended as a floodlit stadium with ablutions, borehole and water reticulation, the final deliverable was far removed from this. The facility is derelict, and has never hosted a sports event. [5]
In 2020, the Art Centre closed down. It is now a vandalised ruin.
In April 2021, the Chris Hani Craft Hub burned down under suspicious circumstances.
In October 2021, the Heritage building burned down under suspicious circumstances.
In January 2022, the Historic Komani Town hall mysteriously burned down under suspicious circumstances.
In January 2023, an unknown figure known as "Mr. Lazola" founded the movement called Komani Protest Action which roused the people of Komani to protest against the municipality's leaders. The protests lasted for at least 2 weeks and gained national attention, causing a city wide shutdown which had not been done since 1986. The municipality promised to deliver change as per the requests of the people of Komani, but never did. After an internal leadership dispute and legal action from the municipality and businesses in the area, the leadership of the movement split up and is now led by Mncedisi Mbengo.
As of January 2024, the municipality is under administration, one of 32 in the country, and three in the Eastern Cape where the provincial executive has intervened due to maladministration [6]
As of 21 February 2024,Shereen Noble of the Auditor General of South Africa dubbed Enoch Mgijima Municipality as the "worst run municipality in the country" , citing the fact that the municipality is in debt of R1.4 billion. Noble highlighted R220.5 million of expenditure was deemed fruitless and wasteful and total current liabilities exceeded total current assets by R984 million.
The municipality suffers from constant power outages due to consistent substation faults. These occasionally go from ward to ward, are daily and last for weeks to months depending on the ward.
The municipality suffers from some of the worst roads in the country, with the R140 between Komani and Lady Frere being dubbed as "one of the most dangerous in the country".
A good 70%-85% of the municipality is without functional streetlights.
The Chris Hani District Municipality is a landlocked district municipality situated in the centre of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa and is made up of eight local municipalities. Most of the communities are in rural areas. The landscape ranges from moist uplands and grassland hills to the arid Karoo scrubland.
Tarkastad is a Karoo semi-urban settlement situated on the banks of Tarka River in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Tarkastad is on a plain to the north of the Winterberg mountain range on the R61 between Cradock and Komani and only three hours from Gqeberha. The name Tarkastad is believed to come from the Khoi-Khoi word Traka or the Celtic word Tarka and the Afrikaans word Stad. The fact that the town is overlooked by Martha and Mary; two peaks which look like two women resting after a hard day's work, also lends to the name.
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Intsika Yethu Municipality is a local municipality within the Chris Hani District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The municipality is one of the six local municipality in this district. Intsika Yethu is an isiXhosa word meaning "our pillars".
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Maletswai Local Municipality was an administrative area in the Joe Gqabi District of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The municipality was merged with Gariep Local Municipality immediately after the August 2016 Local Municipal Elections to form the new Walter Sisulu Local Municipality.
Inkwanca Local Municipality was a local municipality that forms part of the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Inkwanca is an isiXhosa name meaning cold. The municipal area is the coldest area in the country and the lowest temperatures are recorded in the area every year. After municipal elections on 3 August 2016 it was merged into the larger Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.
Tsolwana Local Municipality was an administrative area in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Tsolwana is an isiXhosa name which means "something with a sharp ending or a tip", referring the mountains around the whole area. After municipal elections on 3 August 2016 it was merged into the larger Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.
Lukhanji Local Municipality was an administrative area in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Lukhanji is a Xhosa name for the mountain that runs from the eastern side of Queenstown to the western side. After municipal elections on 3 August 2016 it was merged into the larger Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.
Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality is a local municipality within the Chris Hani District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Ngcobo is an isiXhosa word for a sweet grass found in the area.
Molteno Hospital is a Provincial government funded hospital for the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality area in Molteno, Eastern Cape in South Africa.
The Eastern Cape province of South Africa is governed in a parliamentary system in which the people elect the provincial legislature and the legislature, in turn, elects the Premier as head of the executive. The Premier leads an Executive Council consisting of members who oversee various executive departments. The structure of the provincial government is defined by chapter six of the Constitution of South Africa.
Thornhill is a rural village in Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality under the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Under the previous political dispensation it fell in the Ciskei homeland.
In the Bulhoek massacre, a white police force from the Union of South Africa killed 163 Xhosa civilians. The massacre occurred on 24 May 1921, in the village of Ntabelanga in the Cape Province. After a dispute over land in Ntabelanga, dating back to 1920, an 800-strong police force from the Union of South Africa led by Colonel Johan Davey and General Koos van der Venter gathered at Ingxingwa Ye Nkunzini, in the Bulhoek valley, and Ingxingwa ka Stivini, Steven's Valley. At the same time 500 men known as the "Israelites", armed with spears and knobkerries, and led by Enoch Mgijima, gathered in an open field, ready to defend their families and community. After failed final negotiations between the two parties, a battle ensued. The 20-minute battle, which left an estimated 163 Israelites dead, 129 wounded and 95 taken as prisoners, became known as the Bulhoek Massacre.
Enoch Mgijima was a Xhosa prophet and evangelist. He formed his own church, known as the Israelites, a breakaway from the Church of God and Saints of Christ, and led them through a clash with the white Union of South Africa government, which left 163 Israelites dead, 129 wounded and 95 taken prisoner, in what became known as the Bulhoek Massacre.
Terri Stander is the ward councillor for ward 5 in Nelson Mandela Bay. She is a former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's official opposition.
The Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality council was established in 2016, and consists of sixty-eight members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-four wards, while the remaining thirty-four are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of 44 seats.
The Intsika Yethu Local Municipality council consists of forty-two members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twenty-one councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twenty-one wards, while the remaining twenty-one are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of thirty-five seats.
The Thembisile Hani Local Municipality is a Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The council consists of sixty-four members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-two councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-two wards, while the remaining thirty-two are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of forty seats.