Area: 1 828km²

Cities/Towns: Nkandla

Nearby Cities: Melmoth, Eshowe, Nquthu, Kranskop and Msinga

Main Economic Sectors: Retail, agriculture

Nkandla Municipality is surrounded by the following local municipalities: Ulundi to the north, Nquthu in the north-west, Msinga in the west, uMvoti in the south-west, Maphumulo in the south, UMlalazi in the south-east and UMthonjaneni in the east.

The Nkandla municipality is situated on the western side of King Cetshwayo District (DC28). It is positioned close to the country’s two largest ports, lying about 130 kilometres inland from Richards Bay and 250 km north of Durban. Nkandla Town is classified as a Rural Service Centre (RSC) and a Provincial Rural Administrative Centre (PRAC), is the only formalized urban area located within Nkandla situated approximately 50 kilometres south-west of Melmoth and 65 kilometres from Eshowe. 

It is isolated from the major economic development corridors: access is via a main tar road from Melmoth, and a tar road from Eshowe, Kranskop and Nquthu.

The area is located approximately 50 km southwest of UMthonjaneni Local Municipality, 70 km from UMlalazi Local Municipality, and approximately 50 km away from Isandlwana battlefields. Situated 140 km from UMhlathuze Local Municipality and 250 km from EThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Nkandla Local Municipality is home to the famous high-quality Ntingwe Tea which is traded all over the world. The tea is affectionately called Zulu tea abroad.

The total population currently in the Nkandla Municipality is 94 476 as indicated by Statistics South Africa, 2021. The Dependency Ratio is 95%.