The City of uMhlathuze was established in December 2000 after the demarcation process and the local government elections of that date. It is the third-largest municipality in KwaZulu-Natal with a population of 410,465 inhabitants. Located on the north-east coast of the province, it is a strategically placed, aspirant metropole due to its close proximity to Durban. Likewise, it is home to South Africa’s largest deep-water port and an industrial development zone that enjoys the associated economic spin-offs. The name uMhlathuze is derived from the uMhlathuze River, which meanders through the municipal area and symbolically unifies the towns, suburbs and traditional areas. The John Ross Parkway, the major access road boasts South Africa’s longest road bridge and has been designed to meet the growing transport needs of the city in line with the development plans for the central business district and harbour. Apart from being an industrial and economic hub, the city enjoys a diverse natural environment. The prevailing infrastructure backlogs are to a large extent due to the high population growth and household formation in recent times, specifically post the 2016 local government elections