AbaQulusi Local Municipality (KZN263)

Geography, History & Economy

AbaQulusi Local Municipality is part of Zululand District Municipality.

MDB code: KZN263

Description: The AbaQulusi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality situated within the Zululand District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is the largest of the five municipalities in the district, making up a third of its geographical area. 
 It is named after the AbaQulusi, a Zulu clan whose descendants live in the vicinity of Vryheid, Utrecht, eDumbe and eNgoje. They hail from different origins but were unified by their allegiance to local Zulu royal homesteads. Historically, they were not drafted into ordinary ‘amabutho’ regiments but rather into a royal section, and no ‘umnumzane’ chief presented them in the Zulu king’s council.

Area: 4 314km²

Cities/Towns: Louwsburg, Vryheid

Main Economic Sectors: Wholesale and retail trade (18-20%), manufacturing (14-16%), finance (14%), general government (12-14%), agriculture and forestry (12%), transport, storage and communication (10-12%), community and social services (4-6%)