Alfred Nzo District

Economic Snapshot: Alfred Nzo District

Alfred Nzo District is located on the north-eastern side of the Eastern Cape. The district stretches from the Drakensberg Mountains and borders Lesotho in the north. The local municipalities that make up Alfred Nzo District Municipality are Mbizana, Ntabankulu, Umzimvubu and Matatiele.

District Socio-Economic Indicators 2010 Population 832 121 Official Unemployment rate 44% Population of working age 441 078 No of people with Matric and No of households 199 944 certificate/diploma 19 044 GDP growth rate 1.1% Access to electricity 35% GDP per capita 3 172 Access to formal housing 26% Poverty rate 63% Access to hygienic toilets 24% Literacy 49% Access to water at or above RDP Number of people employed 39 253 Standards 36% Number of people unemployed 33 145

Economic Sector Overview The district economy is largely driven by government, both in terms of employment and economic growth.

Manufacturing Agriculture Contribution to GDP Contribution to employment Mining 3% 3% Agriculture Mining Manufacturing 0% Electricity 5% 0% 2% Electricity 1% Construction Households 0% 2% 15% Construction 6%

Trade 24% Trade 19%

Community Community Transport services Transport services 3% Finance 45% Finance 6% 56% 8% 2%

IDP and LED strategic priorities Alfred Nzo District Municipality IDP’s focus is on spatial development, service delivery, financial viability, good governance and public participation. Current LED initiatives focus on agriculture, cropping and livestock, tourism development and small scale mining.

Opportunities to facilitate economic growth and create jobs Economic infrastructure priorities for economic growth are upgrading airstrips at Mount Ayliff, Matatiele and Cedarville and revival of the district rail network from Matatiele to Franklin, Gauteng and Durban.

There is potential for growth and job creation in bio-fuels production, livestock farming (goats, sheep, beef and dairy) and crop production.

Approximately 3862 hectares is currently under forestry plantations and an estimated 15000 Hectares of land has been identified as having forestry potential.

April 2012 www.ecsecc.org Phone: +27 (0)43 701 3400