Umhlabuyalingana

uMhlabuyalingana Local Municipalityi s one of five municipalitiesthat fall within uMkhanyakude District Municipality.  uMhlabuyalingana is located in the far northern part of KwaZulu-Natal, sharing its northern border with the country of Mozambique.

The municipality is deeply rural, with almost its entire population living in traditional authority areas. Several nature reserves are located within the municipality, including the Isimangaliso Wetland Park which is a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia).

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Ndwedwe

Ndwedwe Local Municipality is one of the four local municipalities within the Ilembe District Municipality. It has unique tourism attractions (Zulu Rural Cultural Trail) such as the Nhlangakazi Holy Mountain, which represents a significant cultural and religious attraction. It also has beautiful mountains such as the Ozwathini Mountain; KwaMatabata Mountain; Carmen Mountain; KwaMkhalanga Mountain and Goqweni Mountain. These mountains accommodate activities such as 4x4 routes; hiking trails, horse trails; camping sites; caravan parks; and birding. Other attractions include the Malangeni Game Reserve; and KwaLoshe Forests (Ecotourism). It has high agricultural potential (e.g. sugar cane and traditional foods).read more »

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Mogalakwena

The Mogalakwena Municipality, classified as a category B local municipality, was established on 5 December 2000 when various municipalities and councils that had previously served Potgietersrus and surrounding areas were integrated. The following local authorities were amalgamated to form the new municipality:

• The Greater Potgietersrus (Mokopane)
• Bakenberg
• Koedoesrand\Rebone

Mogalakwena Municipality is situated in the western quadrant of Limpopo, within the western district of the Waterberg Municipality, and is bordered by Aganang to the east, Mookgopong to the south, and Lephalale to the north. The stunning bushveld environment and a multi-cultural community and history give Mokopane a unique character. The town and immediate surroundings boast fascinating ancient caves, the Big Five, San rock art, curios, typically bushveld food and drink such as biltong (dried meat) and mampoer (a potent drink), tropical gardens and traditional dancing.read more »

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City of Tshwane

The City of Tshwane is the capital of South Africa and is the largest municipality, as measured by land mass. Tshwane is amongst the six largestmetropolitan municipalities in South Africa and the second largest in Gauteng, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Tshwane regioncovers 6 368km² of Gauteng’s 19 055km² and houses approximately 2,9million residents.Tshwane consists of seven regions with 105 wards and 210 councillors.

The City has a vibrant and diverse economy, which enables it to contribute at least 26,8% of the Gauteng Province’s GDP and 9,4% of the GDP of the national economy.  Tshwane is the administrative capital of South Africa and is home to the Union Buildings with government-related business playing an important role in the local economy.  As a result, the city is taking active measures to firmly position itself as Africa's leading capital city of excellence.  The municipality's main economic sectors are community services and government, followed by finance and manufacturing.  Metal products, machinery and household products are the largest sub-sectors within manufacturing.  The City has a well-established manufacturing sector, with the automotive industry representing the most significant component.

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Nkandla

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.read more »

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Inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) are the two primary measures of inflation for South Africa. Both indicators are published on a monthly basis.The Consumer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices of goods and services purchased by consumers. The headline CPI is used as the inflation target measure which guides the South African Reserve Bank on the setting of interest rates.

The Producer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices charged by producers of goods. Stats SA publishes PPIs for different industries with the PPI for final manufactured goods being the headline PPI. Additional PPIs are compiled for Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining and quarrying; Electricity and water; Intermediate manufactured goods; Imports and Exports; and Construction.

The PPI is widely used by businesses as a contract escalator and as a general indicator of inflationary pressures in the economy.

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Poverty

Poverty is a key development challenge in social, economic and political terms; not only in South Africa but throughout the developing world. In post-apartheid South Africa, fighting the legacy of poverty and under-development has always been a central theme of Government. This was cemented in the Reconstruction and Development Plan (RDP) of 1994 and reiterated in the National Development Plan (NDP) published in 2011.

The guiding objectives of the NDP is the elimination of poverty and the reduction in inequality and all the elements of the plan must demonstrate their effect on these two objectives. The Living Conditions Survey (LCS) and the Income and Expenditure Survey (IES) conducted by Stats SA are the two primary contributors toward profiling and monitoring poverty and inequality over time.

These two surveys are fundamental components to the survey programme of any statistical agency. They are the leading tools for the measurement of absolute poverty and inequality and they are an extremely important building block for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to stay current with the changing spending and consumption patterns of the country.

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Transport

Transport and the need for transport has become an important part of daily life in South Africa. Not only does the movement of goods and services play an important part in the South African economy, but the types of transport available to individuals affects spatial decisions in terms of work, entertainment, education and place of residence. Stats SA publishes a range of transport-related information in various reports and publications. Travel survey The National Household Travel survey (NHTS) provides insight into the travel patterns of South African households, providing information on modes of transport used, such as land, air and water transport, as well as cycling, walking, public and private transport. Also included are statistics on travel times, transport challenges experienced by households, and travel patterns related to work, education and leisure. NHTS surveys were conducted in 2003 and 2013. Transport and the economy Stats SA’s quarterly Gross domestic product (GDP) release provides information on the size and growth of various industries in the South African economy, including the transport industry. The same publication also includes figures on overall household expenditure on transport. The monthly Motor trade sales release provides the time series data of trade in motor vehicles and motor accessories. The Land transport survey, published on a monthly basis, provides data on passenger and freight transportation by land. The Producer Price Index (PPI) release provides information on the prices of transport equipment leaving the factory gate. The extent to which prices of fuel, public transport and private transport are changing is covered in the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Employment Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) provide information on the number of individuals employed in various industries, including the transport industry. Financial indicators The Quarterly Financial Statistics (QFS) and Annual Financial Statistics (AFS) reports provide a financial overview of various industries, including transport, storage and communication. Data on turnover, income and expenditure, profit or loss and various balance sheet items are also included in the reports. The transport and storage industry report for 2013 provides more in-depth information on the size, nature and structure of the transport and storage industry. This periodic survey provides details on employment within the industry, trading income, expenditure, profit or loss, inventories, sales and services, and purchases.read more »

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