The Municipality is named after anti apartheid stalwart, Raymond Mhlaba (commonly known as Oom Ray). It was established after August through the amalgamation of the disestablished Nkonkobe and Nxuba Municipalities with its major towns being Alice, Adelaide, Bedford, Fort Beaufort, Middledrift, Hogsback, Seymour. The Municipality is situated along the mountain range of Winterberg (intaba zeNkonkobe).
Vision - "A service excellence driven municipality for inclusive economic growth"
Mission - "Promoting basic service delivery responsive to the needs of all communities"