About Us

Port St. Johns Local Municipality is a Class B municipality and an administrative area of the O.R. Tambo District Municipality of Eastern Cape in South Africa. It is named after its only large town, Port St. Johns that is situated on the Wild Coast on a coastline of about 270 km long. It is bound on the southeast and south by the Indian Ocean; to the southwest and west by the Nyandeni Local Municipality, and in part the Mnenu River; and to the northwest, north and northeast by the Ingquza Hill Local Municipality (Qaukeni) and in part the Mzintlava River. The major river in the municipality is the Umzimvubu River, and the large town of Port St. Johns is at the mouth of the Umzimvubu, that flows through a gorge known as the “Gates of St John” into an estuary located on the Indian Ocean. On both sides of the river ravine are high sandstone mountain peaks: Mount Thesiger and Mount Sullivan.

The municipality consists of 20 wards and covers a total area of 1239 square kilometers (8800 hectares). There are over 130 villages in the municipality.

Vision

Destination of choice that promotes inclusive economic growth for a sustainable and unified municipality

Mission

A municipality that is financially viable and committed to provide quality services through good governance in a manner that is equitable and responsive to community needs.

Values

In addition to the eight Batho Pele principles introduced by government on 1 October 1997, to stand for better delivery of goods and services to the people; the municipality wishes to embrace six additional values in the next five years with accountability, free of corruption, responsible and attention to social justice. Statements made below therefore constitute a service charter with residents of Port St John’s Municipality who are the recipients of the goods and services of the municipality.

• • Effectiveness

• • Integrity

• • Honesty

• • Accountability

• • Ethics

• • Transparency

Politics

Tourism and road access

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Port St. Johns is known as the centre of tourism on the Wild Coast.^[2] It is known for deep sea fishing and shore angling. Near to the town are three beaches.

From Mthatha in the West and Flagstaff in the North the R61 road connects to Port St. Johns. A smaller road leads the last 5 km into town. Port St. Johns has an airstrip on top of Mount Thesiger.

The Pondoland Park is a National park and forested area 500 km² in size, including the Umzimvubu river mouth and stretching north along the coast up to the provincial border with KwaZulu-Natal.

Tours targeting world famous “sardine run” are popular as well.

History

This town is thought to have been named after a Portuguese ship (the São João),^[2] which was actually wrecked at Port Edward.^[3] Later seafarers mistakenly identified the mouth of the Umzimvubu River as the site of this wreck.^[2]

In the mid-1800s the local Mpondo Chief, Ndamase, allowed a few white traders to settle at the mouth of the Umzimvubu River. When Chief Ndamase died in 1876, the Mpondo Great House in Lusikisiki tried to take over the area. On 17 July 1878, Chief Ndamase’s oldest son Nqwiliso, reacted by ceding the western bank of the Umzimvubu River to the Cape Colony in return for being recognised as an independent ruler and he and his people were promised protection.^[4][5] The river mouth was used as a port, however this activity was abandoned in the 1940s due to siltation, which caused the river to become too shallow for vessels.

The town was the principal port of the defunct Republic of Transkei (1976-1994).

The municipality consists of 20 wards and covers a total area of 1239 square kilometers (8800 hectares). There are over 130 villages in the municipality.