Impendle Local Municipality (KZN224)

Description: The Impendle Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located within the uMgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal. It is one of seven municipalities in the district. It is situated outside the primary and secondary movement systems of the district, and is some distance away from the major tourist and trade routes, although two important roads mark its borders.

The road linking Pietermaritzburg and Underberg that serves as an important access route to the Southern Drakensberg, a popular tourist destination, runs along Impendle’s southern boundary. The link road between Mooi River and Underberg, which is an alternative tourist route, travels along the municipality’s north-western boundary.

The Impendle area is extremely diverse in its topography, climate and soil, and has a rich and complex natural environment. Its location at the foot of the Drakensberg makes Impendle a highland area and an important source of water within the KwaZulu-Natal Province. It is in the catchment area of the Mkhomazi River in the south and the Mngeni River in the north-east.

High-density settlements occur around Impendle Town, in villages such as Gomane, KwaNovuka, Similobha and Kamensi. A second layer of relatively dense settlements occurs on the eastern side of the Impendle Mountain, while density decreases sharply towards the west, with a ribbon of small villages running along the Lotheni River.