WELCOME TO BIG 5 HLABISA MUNICIPALITY

Big 5-Hlabisa Local Municipality is located in the Northern- western part of KwaZuluNatal Province. It is one of four local municipalities that make up uMkhanyakude District family and is centrally located among all local municipalities of uMkhanyakude family. The municipality is a product of a type C amalgamation process between the former Big 5 False Bay and Hlabisa Local Municipality, initiated by the Demarcations Board in terms of the Municipal Structures Act. 10 The name of the municipality is reflective of the historical context of the two former municipalities.

The Municipality is predominantly rural with only one semi-urban area being Hluhluwe in ward 5. The municipality is demarcated into 13 wards and has twenty-three (25) councillors. Hluhluwe and Hlabisa are the main towns that are centers of employment opportunities, shopping and recreational facilities Easily accessible off the N2 national route, the municipality lies adjacent to the False Bay (western) side of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park (previously known as the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park).

A large proportion of the land is used for agriculture and game lodge activities and is sparsely settled. The north-eastern parts of the municipality are occupied by fairly densely settled three rural traditional communities (Makhasa, Mnqobokazi and Nibela). The major draw card of Hlabisa is the tourism industry centred on the 11 Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, located 280 km north of Durban, and is the oldest proclaimed park in Africa. It consists of 960 km² (96,000 ha) of hilly topography in central Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is known for its rich wildlife and conservation efforts. The park is the only state-run park in KwaZulu-Natal where all the Big Five Game occurs. Due to conservation efforts, the park now has the largest population of white rhino in the world. The municipality has infrastructure development backlogs and therefore commits itself to reduce backlogs by 2030.

The Big 5-Hlabisa Municipality was established in 4 August 2016 after the Local Government Elections. The municipality has a low revenue base and depends on grant funding from the Government. However, the municipality will employ sound revenue strategies to enhance revenue collection. The Big 5-Hlabisa Local Municipality forms part of the uMkhanyakude District, which has been identified as an ISRDP Node by the Presidency. This programme has been put in place, to, inter-alia, assist the Municipality with human, technical and financial capacity to ensure development and alleviate poverty