| Mbhashe | |
| Settlement Type: | Local municipality |
| Seal Size: | 150x100px |
| Map Alt: | Location in the Eastern Cape |
| Coordinates: | -32.1667°N 63°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Eastern Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Amathole |
| Seat: | Dutywa |
| Parts Type: | Wards |
| Parts: | 31 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipal council |
| Leader Party: | ANC |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Samkelo Nicholas Janda |
| Leader Title1: | Speaker |
| Leader Name1: | Babalwa Majavu (ANC) |
| Leader Title2: | Chief Whip |
| Leader Name2: | Mandla Sibingibingi (ANC) |
| Area Total Km2: | 3169 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 254909 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 99.4% |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.2% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 95.7% |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 1.6% |
| Demographics2 Info3: | % |
| Demographics2 Info4: | % |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.7% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Municipal code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | EC121 |
Mbhashe Municipality (xh|uMasipala wase Mbhashe) is a local municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The municipality was constituted in terms of the Municipal Structures Act of 1998 and comprises the areas that previously formed the Elliotdale, Willowvale and Dutywa town councils. The municipality is located in the north eastern part of the Amathole District Municipality. The main administrative office is situated in Dutywa.
Its primary claim to fame is as the birthplace of former President Thabo Mbeki. The Mbanyana Falls, Mbhashe Cultural Village and Donald Wood's Snooker Room number among its attractions.[4] The word Xhosa: Mbashe is derived from isiXhosa. The municipality is named after the Mbashe River.[5] The area also boasts the head offices of the AmaXhosa Kingdom at the Nqadu Great Place.
The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[6]
| Place | Code | Area (km2) | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21001 | 213.82 | 13,524 | ||
| 21002 | 158.19 | 9,394 | ||
| 21003 | 143.92 | 8,903 | ||
| 21004 | 19.86 | 1,223 | ||
| 21005 | 771.80 | 49,869 | ||
| 21006 | 8.21 | 1,012 | ||
| 21007 | 177.44 | 17,348 | ||
| 21008 | 146.50 | 11,403 | ||
| 21009 | 22.36 | 1,442 | ||
| Idutywa Part 1 | 21010 | 275.97 | 28,957 | |
| Idutywa Part 2 | 21019 | 9.19 | 4,828 | |
| 21011 | 277.47 | 31,914 | ||
| 21012 | 306.87 | 18,655 | ||
| 21013 | 2.14 | 0 | ||
| 21014 | 105.63 | 12,998 | ||
| 21015 | 238.10 | 27,130 | ||
| 21016 | 101.36 | 8,466 | ||
| 21017 | 48.53 | 3,779 | ||
| 21018 | 5.54 | 2,546 |
See main article: Mbhashe Local Municipality elections. The municipal council consists of sixty-three members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-two councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-two wards, while the remaining thirty-one are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of forty-five seats on the council.The following table shows the results of the election.[7]