Nongoma Local Municipality is located in the centre of northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is one of the five local municipalities of the Zululand District Municipality and has three traditional authorities, named Mandlakazi, Usuthu and Matheni. It is the only area in the world which has six Royal Palaces.

It is strategically located on the R66 between Ulundi (55Km) and Pongola, and the R618 between Hlabisa at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Hlobane, near Vryheid. Durban is 300km south. The Black Umfolozi River flows about 15km south of town. The town serves as a marketplace for the surrounding rural areas.