Sisonke District Municipality
SERVICE DELIVERY
Sisonke meaning "we are all together" is one of the 11 district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. It is an inland municipality situated in the south of the Province. The district includes the southern most part of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg National Park adjacent to Lesotho and borders the Eastern Cape Province in the west.
Sisonke District Municipality has five local municipalities namely:
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UmzimkhuluMunicipality in the southern part of the district.
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Ingwe Municipality in the northeast part of the district.
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KwaSani Municipality in the northern part of the district.
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UbuhlebezweMunicipality in the eastern part of the district.
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Greater Kokstad Municipality is the largestmunicipality within the district and is located in the western part of the district.
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Kokstad CentralBusiness District (CBD) serves as the service centre and commercial hub for most of East Griqualand and most of the Eastern Cape and has tremendous potential to fortify its commercial sector.
Sisonke is well endowed with natural resources and has vast potential for the development of its foremost economic sectors that of agriculture and tourism.
AGRICULTURE
Sisonke is well known for its agro-ecological potential due to its good quality soils, high altitude and abundant water. Commercial farms and to a large extent commercial plantations form the bedrock of the economy of the region. Climatic extremes make the area suitable for a variety of products including crops and vegetables, livestock and sugar cane around the Ixopo/ Highflats area. The district produces 10% of the milk consumed in South Africa and 35% of Clover Milk is from this area.
As part of ensuring that dairy remains a vibrant economic sector, a business plan that will focus on turning Dawn Valley Farm, within the jurisdiction of Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality, into a milk producing and processing farm has been formulated.
Massive expanses of commercial plantations and the wood harvested provide raw materials for paper. Sappi; Mondi; Mondi-Shanduka and Hans Merensky are the dominant figures in the forestry sector.
Amongst other agricultural opportunities are value adding and agri-processing. Sisonke District has set aside a budget to support Umfulamhle Citrus Production Enterprise.
A detailed feasibility study and business plan for bio-fuel derived from waste material from sawmills has been developed by Ingwe Local Municipality but funding has not yet been secured to kickstart the project.
The new farmer's market in Ixopo is a recent investment in infrastructure which will benefit the district's economy. The market will provide an outlet for fresh produce and other items including art and craft providing a much needed income earning opportunity.
TOURISM
The relatively unspoilt natural environment has high eco-tourism and adventure tourism potential. Activities such horse riding, mountain biking, river rafting, abseiling and canoeing are available. Hikers have a choice of gentle strolls to all morning hikes that will bring one to features such as San rock art sites, pristine berg pools and streams, caves and hilltops with splendid views. Overnight trips take the ardent hiker deep into the mountains and even up the great escarpment onto the South African - Lesotho border. The Sani2C, one of South Africa's top multi stage mountain bike rides, starts from Underberg and goes through Sisonke District ending in Scottsburg.
