The municipality is named after the Umvoti River, which runs from the west to the east towards the Indian Ocean.

There is limited economic activity taking place within the traditional authority areas.

Fourteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in fourteen wards, while the remaining thirteen 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) lost its majority, obtaining a plurality of ten seats on the council.

[7] The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period from the election in November 2021.