Nquthu

Quick Fact

Nquthu has a total population of 165 307.

Quick Fact Image -0,25% Growth Rate

Nquthu Local Municipality is one of four municipalities in the Umzinyathi District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. The municipality covers an area of 1 962 km² (Wikipedia) and is predominantly rural in nature with expansive low-density rural settlements being one of its major features.

The municipality is located along the north-eastern boundary of the district, bounded by eMadlangeni and Abaqulusi in the north, Ulundi in the east, Nkandla in the south and Msinga and Endumeni in the west.

Rank By:
63 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Mkhondo , Mpumalanga 171,982 60
Ditsobotla , North West 168,902 61
Breede Valley , Western Cape 166,825 62
Nquthu , KwaZulu-Natal 165,307 63
Tlokwe City Council , North West 162,762 64
Blouberg , Limpopo 162,629 65
Umzumbe , KwaZulu-Natal 160,975 66
Quick Fact

3,8% of those aged 20+ have had access to higher education.

Quick Fact Image 3,8% Higher Education

99,7% of the 165 307 people living in Nquthu Local Municipality are black African. In terms of education, 30,1% of those aged 20 and above have some secondary education, 1 in 5 (20,3%) have completed matric, and 3,8% have some form of higher education. 18,3% do not have any formal schooling.

Group Percentage
Black African99,7%
Coloured0,1%
Indian/Asian0,1%
White0,1%
Other0,1%
Age Males Females
0-4 7,5% 7,5%
5-9 7% 6,8%
10-14 7,1% 6,5%
15-19 6,7% 6,5%
20-24 4% 5,1%
25-29 2,7% 3,9%
30-34 1,9% 2,9%
35-39 1,6% 2,3%
40-44 1,3% 2,1%
45-49 1,2% 1,2%
50-54 1% 1,9%
55-59 1,1% 1,8%
60-64 0,9% 1,4%
65-69 0,6% 1,1%
70-74 0,4% 0,9%
75-79 0,2% 0,7%
80-84 0,1% 0,6%
85+ 0,1% 0,4%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 0,3%
English 0,8%
IsiNdebele 0,9%
IsiXhosa 0,1%
IsiZulu 89,7%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 6,5%
Setswana 0,4%
Sign Language 0,3%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.2%
Not Applicable 0,4%
Group Percentage
Married 9,9%
Living together like married partners 6,2%
Never married 79,2%
Widower/Widow 4,3%
Separated 0,3%
Divorced 0,1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 2,9%
Some Primary 49,2%
Completed Primary 6,7%
Some Secondary 31,5%
Completed Secondary 8,7%
Higher Education 0,5%
Not Applicable 0,5%
Sex Percentage
Female 54,5%
Male 45,5%
Quick Fact

53% household access to electricity for lighting.

Quick Fact Image

There are 31 612 households in Nquthu Local Municipality with an average of 5,1 persons per household. Just over 60% of households are headed by females and the percentage of residents residing in formal dwellings is 63,1%. Only 8% of households have access to piped water within the dwelling, while only 5,1% of households have a flush toilet connected to a sewerage system. 53% of households having access to electricity for lighting.

Area Percentage
Urban 7,5%
Tribal/Traditional 92,1%
Farm 0,3%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 86,9% 13,1%
Computer 3,4% 96,6%
Television 51% 49%
Satellite Television 4,8% 95,2%
Radio 72,2% 27,8%
Landline / Telephone 2% 98%
Motor Car 12,8% 87,2%
Refrigerator 41,5% 58,5%
Electric / Gas-Stove 47,6% 52,4%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 40,9% 18,9% 53%
Gas 2,9% 1,2% 0,3%
Paraffin 8,1% 4,8% 2,1%
Solar 0,1% 0,1% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 43,9%
Wood 33,8% 49,3% 0%
Coal 1,4% 3,8% 0%
Animal Dung 11,9% 16% 0%
Other 0,7% 0,9% 0%
None 0,2% 5% 0,6%
Access Percentage
From Home 1,2%
From Cellphone 15,1%
From Work 0,9%
From Elsewhere 1,7%
No Access 81%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 4,6%
Owned and fully paid off 42,5%
Owned but not yet paid off 7,9%
Occupied rent free 43,8%
Other 1,3%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 40,6%
Borehole 27,3%
Spring 7,8%
Rain water tank 1,2%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 2%
River/Stream 10,9%
Water vendor 1,3%
Water tanker 7,7%
Other 1,3%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 8,7%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 5,1%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 0,7%
Chemical toilet 2,3%
Pit toilet with ventilation 35,6%
Pit toilet without ventilation 42,3%
Bucket toilet 1%
Other 4,3%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 8,5%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,6%
Communal refuse dump 1%
Own refuse dump 81,9%
No rubbish disposal 6,6%
Other 1,4%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 8,5%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,6%
Communal refuse dump 1%
Own refuse dump 81,9%
No rubbish disposal 6,6%
Other 1,4%
Quick Fact

44,4% Unemployment rate.

Quick Fact Image

44,4% of the 17 889 economically active individuals (i.e., those who are employed or unemployed but looking for work) are unemployed. Of the 10 515 economically active youth (15–34 years) in the municipality, 53,3% are unemployed.

Employment Status Number
Employed 9946
Unemployed 7943
Discouraged Work Seeker 12918
Not Economically Active 55934
Income Percentage
None income 12,4%
R1 - R4,800 5,5%
R4,801 - R9,600 12,5%
R9,601 - R19,600 25,2%
R19,601 - R38,200 27,8%
R38,201 - R76,4000 9,8%
R76,401 - R153,800 4%
R153,801 - R307,600 1,9%
R307,601 - R614,400 0,8%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,1%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,1%
R2,457,601+ 0,1%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 11,779
Poultry production 14,651
Vegetable production 6,706
Production of other crops 2,492
Other 958

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 1,547
Animals only 11,917
Mixed farming 6,405
Other 128

**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 7,193
R1-R4 800 527
R4 801-R38 400 11,231
R38 401-R307 200 666
R307 201+ 68
Unspecified 311

Place names

Places in Nquthu Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population165,307
Young (0-14)42,4%
Working Age (15-64)52,5%
Elderly (65+)5,1%
Dependency ratio90,6
Sex ratio83,4
Growth rate-0,25% (2001-2011)
Population density84 persons/km2
Unemployment rate44,4%
Youth unemployment rate53,3%
No schooling aged 20+18,1%
Higher education aged 20+3,8%
Matric aged 20+20,3%
Number of households31,612
Number of Agricultural households19,997
Average household size5,1
Female headed households60,1%
Formal dwellings63,1%
Housing owned/paying off50,4%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage5,1%
Weekly refuse removal8,5%
Piped water inside dwelling8%
Electricity for lighting53%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population169,419
Young (0-14)44,5%
Working Age (15-64)52,5%
Elderly (65+)5%
Dependency ratio97,8%
Sex ratio80,7
Growth rate2,24% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate81,6%
Youth unemployment rate87,9%
No schooling aged 20+38,9%
Higher education aged 20+2,1%
Matric aged 20+10,6%
Number of households29,417
Average household size5,7
Female headed households60,6%
Formal dwellings39,6%
Housing owned/paying off52%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage5,8%
Weekly refuse removal7,5%
Piped water inside dwelling3,2%
Electricity for lighting16,7%