An Overview of the City of Newcastle and the Challenges facing the

28 Pages·2013·1.97 MB·English

by  Akash Srikewal

An Overview of the City of Newcastle and the
Challenges facing the Achievement of
Intermediary City Status
United Cities and Local Governments(UCLG)
Intermediary Cities Learning Exchange Programme
Zimbali, Fairmont Hotel - KwaDukuza
PRESENTER : Mr Kebone Masange
Municipal Manager
18 March 2013
Who are we?
• Newcastle municipality is located in the Northern part of Kwa Zulu Natal
falls within Amajuba District alongside Dannhauser and Utrecht
municipalities
• It lies at the at the intersection of Kwa Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Free
State Provinces
• Newcastle is the main growth node/centre in Northern KwaZulu Natal
• Municipal Area : 1 854.6 km2 or 716 square miles
• Population Newcastle : 2001 – 332 981- 2011 - 363 236
• Population Density

Accessibility by Road– National, Regional and District
Road Transportation
• Newcastle has local, district, regional and national road transportation
linkages via the N11 Road which traverses the city linking it south
wards down to Durban and northwards up to Gauteng Province and
beyond.
• The R34 provides crucial links eastwards within KwaZulu Natal and
westwards towards the Free State and Gauteng Province
• Road network in neighboring provinces is poor
National connectivity
• 300 km from Johannesburg (via R34 Road-N3 freeway)
• 480 km from Bloemfontein (via N11 Road – N5 Road)
Accessibility cont’d
Regional Connectivity
• 340 km from Durban (via N11 Road- N3 freeway)
• 250 km from Pietermaritzburg
• 329 km from Richards Bay (via R34 Road)
• 96 km north of Ladysmith (via N11 Road)
• 57 km from Volksrust (via N11 Road)
• 115 km from Vryheid (via R34 Road)
• 70 km from Dundee (via N11 – R68 Road)
• 380 km from Ballito – venue of conference
District Connectivity
• 50 km from Utrecht (via R34 Road)
• 34 km from Dannhauser (via N11 Road)
Other Connectivity
Rail Transportation
• Durban - Johannesburg Railway Line passes through Newcastle
Air Transportation
• Newcastle has an Airport for private small aircraft
• No passenger air transportation link with other centres
• Currently plans for upgrade of airport

Population
Population Population Population Unemployment Rate Dependency Ratio
Growth (% Growth (%
per annum) per annum)
1996-2001 2001-2011
2001 2011 2001 2011 2001 2011
Ethekwini 3 090 122 3 442 361 2.34 1.08 43,0 30,2 46.7 42.8
(Durban)
Msunduzi 552 837 618 536 1,06 1.12 48,2 33,0 51.5 46.2
(Pietermaritzburg
Newcastle 332 981 363 236 2.93 0.87 54,1 37,4 60.7 50.0
Emadlangeni 32 277 34 442 2.81 0.65 39,3 37,6 69.3 131.3
(Utrecht)
Dannhauser 102 779 102161 0.71 -0.06 67,4 47,6 76.3 89.9
Ladysmith 225 459 237 437 4,67 0.52 49.2 34.0 62,4 60,7
Abaqulusi 191 091 211 060 2.58 1.00 59,4 35,4 73.9 70.5
(Vryheid)
Endumeni 51 101 64 862 2.81 2.38 46,0 26,4 57.0 56.8
(Dundee)
PixleyKa Seme 80 737 83 235 2,80 0.30 50,6 36,1 77.7 68.3
(Volkrust)
Demographic Profile
Demographic profile cont’d
• Newcastle has a dominant population in Amajuba District and over
neighbouring provincial towns in the Free State and Mpumalanga
• The rate of urbanisation from smaller towns in the hinterland
remains high as economic hardships persist
• Population growth declined from 2.93 to 0.87 % between 2001 and
2011 – High mortality rate due to HIV-AIDS is a huge threat to
population growth and development
• Multi-sectoral interventions required to slow down the rate of
increase in HIV infections. Besides health services, Town Planning
designates spaces for health and learning facilities
• There is pressure to deliver services for residents and inevitably
migrant residents from neighbouring towns
• Newcastle has the population threshold for development to take
place