uMshwathi Municipality

uMshwathi Municipality's mayor, BM Gwala, speaks about the municipality's goals, developments and investment opportunities.


Please give us an overview of uMshwathi Municipality.

uMshwathi is part of uMgungundlovu District. It is adjacent to uMsunduzi, uMngeni, Mkhambathini, Ndwedwe and uMvoti Municipalities.


What are the municipality's growth and development initiatives?

Our municipality's growth and development goals are to diversify our economy, to develop our tourism sector and to make uMshwathi an area of choice for low-, middle- and high income house owners.


What are uMshwathi's main resources and attractions?

uMshwathi has two big dams, namely Albert Falls and Nagle Dam (the name indicates a rich German heritage), and mountains.


What are the key sectors and industries in the area?

The key sectors in our economy are sugar cane, timber, beef and poultry farming as well as tourism. The major companies in uMshwathi are Sappi, Mondi, Triple AAA, Union Corp and Illovo. The municipality is supporting growth in these sectors by providing bulk infrastructure. We are currently completing a study aimed at developing road linkages that will promote tourism in uMshwathi.

uMshwathi also features in three brochures, namely KwaZulu-Natal Business, The Amble and Wie, Was & Wo (distributed in Germany). All these brochures market uMshwathi as a tourism destination of choice and a suitable area for investment.


What are the municipality's advantages as an investment destination?

Our competitive advantage as an investment destination stems from our strategic location close to Pietermaritzburg, the capital city of KwaZulu-Natal. uMshwathi lies between Ndwedwe, uMngeni, Mkhambathini, uMsunduzi and uMvoti municipalities. It also provides easy access to the N2 and N3 highways as well as the Dube TradePort and King Shaka Airport. The municipality is also relatively politically stable.


How does uMshwathi support its district municipality in terms of economic development?

By participating in various forums organised by the district, and by furnishing the district with information on the socioeconomic demographics of uMshwathi.


Do you have any major projects under way?

We are constructing a multipurpose sports complex, doing an environmental management framework (EMF) at the intersection of the R33 and the R614, and developing a district road (D40).There is also the corridor project, aimed at developing the R614 into a corridor. This is expected to promote tourism in the area.

The mayor of uMshwathi Municipality, Councillor BM Gwala, worked for the Department of Transport as an assessor (1977 to 1996), was deputy chairman (1996 to 1999) and later became acting chairman (1999 to 2000) of the then-Indlovu Regional Council. He has also served in various structures of the ANC.


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