Okhahlamba

Quick Fact

According to Census 2011, Okhahlamba Local Municipality has a total population of 132 068.

Quick Fact Image -0,43% Growth rate

The Okhahlamba Local Municipality is situated in the mountainous region of KwaZulu-Natal between Lesotho, the Free State, Emnambithi and Mtshezi. This municipality derived its name from a range of mountains which stretches more than 400km. It consists of privately owned commercial farmlands, smallholder settlements, the urban areas of Bergville, Winterton, Cathkin Park and Geluksberg, and two tribal authority areas.

Rank By:
82 ranking by population size
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Elundini , Eastern Cape 138,141 79
Mandeni , KwaZulu-Natal 138,078 80
Senqu , Eastern Cape 134,150 81
Okhahlamba , KwaZulu-Natal 132,068 82
Aganang , Limpopo 131,164 83
Dihlabeng , Free State 128,704 84
Uphongolo , KwaZulu-Natal 127,238 85
Quick Fact

17,2% aged 20+ had no formal schooling.

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According to Census 2011, Okhahlamba Local Municipality has a total population of 132 068 and it is a sparsely populated area which is predominantly tribal. 97% of the population is black African. The primary enrolment rate is high in this municipality at 93,1 % but the matric pass rate is very low at 22,5% in 2011.

Group Percentage
Black African97,1%
Coloured0,2%
Indian/Asian0,4%
White2,1%
Other0,2%
Age Males Females
0-4 7,1% 7,1%
5-9 6,4% 6,3%
10-14 6,4% 5,9%
15-19 6,1% 5,9%
20-24 4,1% 4,8%
25-29 3,3% 4,4%
30-34 2,5% 3,2%
35-39 2,2% 2,5%
40-44 1,7% 2,4%
45-49 1,5% 1,5%
50-54 1,3% 1,9%
55-59 1,2% 1,8%
60-64 1,1% 1,6%
65-69 0,6% 1,1%
70-74 0,5% 0,9%
75-79 0,3% 0,6%
80-84 0,2% 0,5%
85+ 0,1% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 1%
English 1,9%
IsiNdebele 1,2%
IsiXhosa 0,2%
IsiZulu 91,6%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 0,8%
Setswana 0,6%
Sign Language 0,5%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.3%
Not Applicable 1,7%
Group Percentage
Married 16%
Living together like married partners 6,2%
Never married 74%
Widower/Widow 3,2%
Separated 0,4%
Divorced 0,1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 2,9%
Some Primary 46,4%
Completed Primary 6,3%
Some Secondary 31,8%
Completed Secondary 11,5%
Higher Education 0,5%
Not Applicable 0,7%
Sex Percentage
Female 53,3%
Male 46,7%
Quick Fact

75,4% of households have access to electricity for lighting.

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There are 27 576 households in the municipality with an average household size of 4,8 persons per household. 69% of these households are female headed households and less than 50% of households live in formal dwellings. 68% of households have access to piped water.

Area Percentage
Urban 6%
Tribal/Traditional 60,6%
Farm 33,4%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 86,8% 13,2%
Computer 6,4% 93,6%
Television 58,6% 41,4%
Satellite Television 14% 86%
Radio 65,8% 34,2%
Landline / Telephone 3,7% 96,3%
Motor Car 16,5% 83,5%
Refrigerator 50,9% 49,1%
Electric / Gas-Stove 58% 42%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 48,2% 31,7% 75,4%
Gas 3,6% 1,4% 0,3%
Paraffin 9,6% 6,6% 1%
Solar 0,1% 0,1% 0,4%
Candles 0% 0% 22,4%
Wood 35,6% 48,9% 0%
Coal 0,3% 0,6% 0%
Animal Dung 2,2% 3,4% 0%
Other 0,2% 0,2% 0%
None 0,3% 6,9% 0,6%
Access Percentage
From Home 2,4%
From Cellphone 21,5%
From Work 1,8%
From Elsewhere 3%
No Access 71,3%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 16,7%
Owned and fully paid off 32,3%
Owned but not yet paid off 8,6%
Occupied rent free 37,3%
Other 5,1%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 31,4%
Borehole 27%
Spring 23%
Rain water tank 0,8%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 3,9%
River/Stream 4,7%
Water vendor 1%
Water tanker 5,2%
Other 3,1%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 10,4%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 8,7%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 3,1%
Chemical toilet 12,6%
Pit toilet with ventilation 33%
Pit toilet without ventilation 30%
Bucket toilet 0,8%
Other 1,5%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 9,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,2%
Communal refuse dump 1,8%
Own refuse dump 75,3%
No rubbish disposal 11,2%
Other 1,2%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 9,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,2%
Communal refuse dump 1,8%
Own refuse dump 75,3%
No rubbish disposal 11,2%
Other 1,2%
Quick Fact

43,4% Unemployment rate.

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The major contributors to the economy are agriculture, tourism and wholesale trade. The unemployment rate is 43%, which is among the highest in the district, which has a dependency ratio of 79. The youth unemployment rate is 52,3%.

Employment Status Number
Employed 13718
Unemployed 10501
Discouraged Work Seeker 9709
Not Economically Active 39853
Income Percentage
None income 15,6%
R1 - R4,800 6,7%
R4,801 - R9,600 13,4%
R9,601 - R19,600 24,2%
R19,601 - R38,200 21,5%
R38,201 - R76,4000 9,2%
R76,401 - R153,800 4,6%
R153,801 - R307,600 2,8%
R307,601 - R614,400 1,4%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,3%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,2%
R2,457,601+ 0,1%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 8,729
Poultry production 8,880
Vegetable production 6,271
Production of other crops 4,185
Other 1,050

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 2,136
Animals only 6,781
Mixed farming 5,990
Other 184

**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 5,965
R1-R4 800 591
R4 801-R38 400 7,255
R38 401-R307 200 816
R307 201+ 130
Unspecified 334

Place names

Places in Okhahlamba Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population132,068
Young (0-14)39,2%
Working Age (15-64)55,9%
Elderly (65+)4,9%
Dependency ratio79
Sex ratio87,5
Growth rate-0,43% (2001-2011)
Population density33 persons/km2
Unemployment rate43,4%
Youth unemployment rate52,3%
No schooling aged 20+17,2%
Higher education aged 20+4,4%
Matric aged 20+23,2%
Number of households27,576
Number of Agricultural households15,091
Average household size4,6
Female headed households53,8%
Formal dwellings42,8%
Housing owned/paying off40,9%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage8,7%
Weekly refuse removal9,2%
Piped water inside dwelling16,9%
Electricity for lighting75,4%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population137,924
Young (0-14)41,1%
Working Age (15-64)55,9%
Elderly (65+)4,8%
Dependency ratio84,7%
Sex ratio86,6
Growth rate2,89% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate58,9%
Youth unemployment rate66,4%
No schooling aged 20+37,6%
Higher education aged 20+4,4%
Matric aged 20+10,3%
Number of households26,756
Average household size4,9
Female headed households51,2%
Formal dwellings41%
Housing owned/paying off41,8%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage5,9%
Weekly refuse removal5,3%
Piped water inside dwelling5,8%
Electricity for lighting40,2%