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importance of agglomerations, transport costs and market access, coastal cities in South
Africa could be expected to grow much faster than inland locations. This would suggest that
economic activity in KwaZulu-Natal will become even more spatially concentrated around
the coastal centres of Durban and Richards Bay, which currently generate 70"/0 of the
provincial GDP (KwaZulu-Natal Economic Review, 2005).
This study therefore attempts to analyse the impact that the situational and land use analysis
ofUlundi has on its local economic development. Given the sluggish growth prospects in the
study area, this research attempts to explore processes and strategies that have possibilities of
factoring in various developmental initiatives and approaches based on landscape and cultural
attributes that could improve the quality of life in the area.
It is important to note that the population of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province remains
extremely dispersed. In 2001, when the most recent census was conducted, 48% of the
population of KwaZulu-Natal was living in local municipalities which contribute less than
1.5% to total provincial GDP. The recognition that the population ofKwaZulu-Natal remains
highly dispersed lends support to local economic development policies that aim to stimulate
and develop the smaller centres ofeconomic activity like Ulundi in poorer municipal districts.
The Zululand District Municipality (DC26) area is located in the north eastern KwaZulu­
Natal (Figure. I.!) and is approximately 15 528 km 2 in spatial extent. The Ulundi Local
Municipality (KZ266) is located on its southern boundary comprising approximately 25% of
the district area The Zululand District Municipality consists of the following local
municipalities: Ulundi, Abaqulusi, Nongoma, Edumbe, and Upongola - (Figure. 1.1). This
study ofUlundi is important in the regional context because the outcome ofthis survey forms
a relatively more reliable point of reference especially for Nongoma Edumbe and Upongola
municipalities as they bear similar traits in development.
The Ulundi Local Municipality was constituted from the former entities: Ulundi Transitional
Local Council (TLC), Zululand Regional Council, Mahlabathini Advisory Town Committee
and Babanango Advisory Town Committee. These entities were constituted in 1995, after the
first democratic national elections in 1994 and local government elections in 1995. Prior to
the 2000 local government elections, it was decided to reduce the number of local authorities
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