Nkandla

Quick Fact

The total population of Nkandla Municipality is 114 416.

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Nkandla is situated in a remote area of breathtaking mountainous beauty, which consists mainly of tribal lands and state-owned land. The area has a wealth of undisturbed forests, which boast many indigenous species. Nkandla has a claim to be the ‘cradle’ of Zulu history. From Malandela to Shaka, to Dingane and Cetshwayo, Nkandla has been at the centre stage of the Zulu nation’s history.

The graves of King Malandela and Cetshwayo are at Nkandla. Nkandla Town is the only urban area in Nkandla Municipality which offers the full array of urban development, albeit at a smaller scale compared to the majority of towns in KwaZulu-Natal. This includes low-density residential, active and passive open space, schools, commercial areas, service-industries, churches, offices, government buildings an services, financial services, etc.

Rank By:
97 ranking by population size
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Witzenberg , Western Cape 115,946 94
Lephalale , Limpopo 115,767 95
Lekwa , Mpumalanga 115,662 96
Nkandla , KwaZulu-Natal 114,416 97
Swartland , Western Cape 113,762 98
Imbabazane , KwaZulu-Natal 113,073 99
Setsoto , Free State 112,597 100
Quick Fact

29,1% of those aged 20+ had no form of schooling.

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The total population of Nkandla Municipality is 114 416. Of this number, 14% are children between 0 and 4 years, while 6% constitute the elderly above the age of 65.

Total number of black Africans in Nkandla is 113 923, followed by whites at 167, coloureds who make up 114; and Indians/Asians at 103.

Primary education enrolment for the population aged 6 to 13 is 86,7%. 21,2% of the population have matric, and 4,8% are people with a higher educational qualification.

Group Percentage
Black African99,6%
Coloured0,1%
Indian/Asian0,1%
White0,1%
Other0,1%
Age Males Females
0-4 6,9% 7,2%
5-9 6,5% 6,4%
10-14 6,9% 6,5%
15-19 6,8% 6,9%
20-24 4% 5%
25-29 2,6% 3,9%
30-34 1,8% 2,8%
35-39 1,5% 2,3%
40-44 1,3% 2,2%
45-49 1,2% 1,2%
50-54 1,1% 2,1%
55-59 1,2% 2%
60-64 1% 1,7%
65-69 0,6% 1,2%
70-74 0,5% 1,2%
75-79 0,3% 0,8%
80-84 0,2% 0,7%
85+ 0,1% 0,6%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 0,3%
English 1,2%
IsiNdebele 1,3%
IsiXhosa 0,1%
IsiZulu 94,8%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 0,1%
Setswana 0,6%
Sign Language 0,3%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.1%
Not Applicable 0,9%
Group Percentage
Married 15,8%
Living together like married partners 4,2%
Never married 76,7%
Widower/Widow 2,9%
Separated 0,4%
Divorced 0,1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 2,8%
Some Primary 47,6%
Completed Primary 6,6%
Some Secondary 30%
Completed Secondary 11,2%
Higher Education 0,5%
Not Applicable 1,2%
Sex Percentage
Female 55,7%
Male 44,3%
Quick Fact

29,1% of those aged 20+ had no form of schooling.

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93% of the population in the municipality reside in traditional/tribal areas, and 7% live in urban settlements. The average household size in the municipality is 5,1. As many as 54,6% of the households own their houses. 32% of the population stay in formal dwellings and 67% in traditional dwellings.

55% of Nkandla households are female headed, and 1% are child headed. 2 470 people in the municipality have no source of income.

There are 22 463 households within the municipality. 9% of the residents have a flush toilet facility, 67% have access to piped water, and 44,6% use electricity for lighting.

Area Percentage
Urban 3,1%
Tribal/Traditional 96,9%
Farm 0%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 84,5% 15,5%
Computer 2,7% 97,3%
Television 38,1% 61,9%
Satellite Television 4,1% 95,9%
Radio 63,4% 36,6%
Landline / Telephone 2,2% 97,8%
Motor Car 10,6% 89,4%
Refrigerator 31,4% 68,6%
Electric / Gas-Stove 33,2% 66,8%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 23,1% 16,7% 44,6%
Gas 4% 1,9% 0,5%
Paraffin 2,9% 2,4% 1,2%
Solar 0,1% 0,2% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 52,2%
Wood 68,3% 72,9% 0%
Coal 0,2% 0,7% 0%
Animal Dung 0,7% 1,3% 0%
Other 0,3% 0,1% 0%
None 0,3% 3,8% 1,3%
Access Percentage
From Home 1,6%
From Cellphone 16,8%
From Work 2,2%
From Elsewhere 2,2%
No Access 77,2%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 10%
Owned and fully paid off 33,8%
Owned but not yet paid off 20,8%
Occupied rent free 29,3%
Other 6,1%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 39,4%
Borehole 4,8%
Spring 3,7%
Rain water tank 0,8%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 4,9%
River/Stream 34%
Water vendor 1,8%
Water tanker 6,8%
Other 3,7%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 12,2%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 8,1%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 1,2%
Chemical toilet 18,3%
Pit toilet with ventilation 15,8%
Pit toilet without ventilation 36,8%
Bucket toilet 1,5%
Other 6,1%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 7,8%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,8%
Communal refuse dump 1,2%
Own refuse dump 66,4%
No rubbish disposal 21,7%
Other 2,1%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 7,8%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,8%
Communal refuse dump 1,2%
Own refuse dump 66,4%
No rubbish disposal 21,7%
Other 2,1%
Quick Fact

43,9% Unemployment rate.

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Given its under-development, the area is nevertheless rich in natural resources and has great potential for economic growth through agriculture. A good climate and availability of land makes it a promising centre in terms of agricultural production. Livestock, timber (Qhudeni and Nkonisa), tea (Ntingwe), herbs (essential oils), peaches and vegetables are some of the products of the area.

Ntingwe is the only employer of significance and produces leaf, which is fetching top prices on the London Tea Market and is being sold as a specialty tea in the United Kingdom and the United States. Ntingwe Tea is rated among the ten best teas in the world, according to Arnold Adhihetty, a senior buyer and blender at Taylor’s of Harrogate, which markets Ntingwe Tea in the United Kingdom, selling it as a pure tea under the estate’s name, namely in teabags marked “Zulu Tea”. Yorkshire Gold, a blend of Ntingwe tea and other varieties, is a second retail brand.

Employment Status Number
Employed 6907
Unemployed 5398
Discouraged Work Seeker 8907
Not Economically Active 40115
Income Percentage
None income 11%
R1 - R4,800 5,8%
R4,801 - R9,600 10,8%
R9,601 - R19,600 25,3%
R19,601 - R38,200 26,8%
R38,201 - R76,4000 10,4%
R76,401 - R153,800 5,5%
R153,801 - R307,600 2,7%
R307,601 - R614,400 1,3%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,2%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,1%
R2,457,601+ 0,1%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 8,242
Poultry production 8,260
Vegetable production 5,688
Production of other crops 1,220
Other 864

**An agricultural household may engage in more than one agricultural activity

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 1,551
Animals only 6,887
Mixed farming 4,661
Other 244

**An agricultural household may not fall under more than one agricultural activity

Income category of agricultural households
Annual income category of agricultural household heads Number
No income 3,588
R1-R4 800 711
R4 801-R38 400 8,161
R38 401-R307 200 481
R307 201+ 104
Unspecified 297

Place names

Places in Nkandla Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population114,416
Young (0-14)40,3%
Working Age (15-64)53,6%
Elderly (65+)6,1%
Dependency ratio86,6
Sex ratio79,4
Growth rate-1,55% (2001-2011)
Population density63 persons/km2
Unemployment rate43,9%
Youth unemployment rate53,5%
No schooling aged 20+29,1%
Higher education aged 20+4,8%
Matric aged 20+21,2%
Number of households22,463
Number of Agricultural households13,343
Average household size4,9
Female headed households63,1%
Formal dwellings31,8%
Housing owned/paying off54,6%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage8,1%
Weekly refuse removal7,8%
Piped water inside dwelling16,7%
Electricity for lighting44,6%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population133,602
Young (0-14)43,7%
Working Age (15-64)53,6%
Elderly (65+)6,1%
Dependency ratio99,2%
Sex ratio75,4
Growth rate0,62% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate77,4%
Youth unemployment rate82,6%
No schooling aged 20+50,1%
Higher education aged 20+2,5%
Matric aged 20+10%
Number of households24,216
Average household size5,4
Female headed households61,9%
Formal dwellings18,5%
Housing owned/paying off35,6%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage7,5%
Weekly refuse removal6,6%
Piped water inside dwelling4,9%
Electricity for lighting6,5%