The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality is a Category C municipality situated in the western region of the North West province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | North West |
| Municipal code: | DC39 |
| Seat: | Vryburg |
| Local municipalities: | 5 |
| Total area: | 43,764 km² (16,897 square miles) |
| Population: | 508,192 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Motseokae Alpheus Sense Maje |
About
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality is geographically situated in the western and southwestern parts of the North West province.
Its administrative headquarters/seat is in Vryburg.
The District is named after the former Mayor of Naledi Local Municipality, Ruth Segomotsi Mompati. It was previously known as the Bophirima District Municipality.
On 28 February 2007, the Bophirima District Council adopted Resolution 2007/11, renaming the municipality after Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati in recognition of her dedication towards the emancipation of all South Africans.
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) in 1954 and one of the leaders of the historic Women’s March on 9 August 1956, to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, protesting the introduction of the Apartheid pass laws for black women.
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality covers an area of 43,764 km² (16,897 square miles), almost half of the province’s geographical area, making it the largest district in the North West Province.
The District is divided into five local municipalities, namely;
- Greater Taung Local Municipality
- Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality
- Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality
- Mamusa Local Municipality
- Naledi Local Municipality
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality is bordered by:
- Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to the east
- Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality to the southeast
- Lejweleputswa District Municipality in the Free State to the southeast
- Frances Baard District Municipality in the Northern Cape to the south
- John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality in the Northern Cape to the west
- The Republic of Botswana to the north
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality has poor rural areas, formerly situated in the former Bophuthatswana homeland.
The District’s population is situated in more than 470 villages and towns dispersed in a 250km radius (approximately 200 kilometres east to west and 50 kilometres north to south).
The District is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Taung Skull Heritage Site at the Buxton Quarry, where the lime encrusted skull was unearthed in 1924.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality has a population of 508,192 residents, compared to 459,357 in 2016, and 463,815 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.89%.
According to the 2022 Census, 32.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.8% is between 15 and 64, and 6.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 91.4% of the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality population describe themselves as Black African, 4% as Coloured, 3.9% as White, and 0.4% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 83.6% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 7.6% speak Afrikaans, 1.9% speak English, 1.8% speak Sesotho, and 5.1% speak other languages.
Economy
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality is characterised by cattle farming being the most significant economic activity, with Hereford cattle being the most popular.
The District is South Africa’s largest beef-producing region, and is sometimes called “the Texas of South Africa”.
Maize and peanuts are important crops produced in the District.
Apart from agriculture, other economic sectors in the District are community services, finance, trade, transport, manufacturing, mining, and construction.
District council and management
The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality is under S139 administration, effective from January 2022.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 7 – EFF: 3 – DA: 1 – AICM: 1 |
| Controlling Party | n/a |
| Executive Mayor | Motseokae Alpheus Sense Maje |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Kgalalelo Sereko |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | -L Duiker (MMC: Planning and Development) – L Jacobs (MMC: Corporate Services) – G Masilo (MMC: Budget and Treasury) – ST Matobo (MMC: Economic Development, Tourism, and Agriculture) – P Seapamere (MMC: Engineering and Technical Services) – B Setlhabetsi-Mokone (MMC: Community Services) |
| Municipal Manager | Itumeleng Ronald Jonas |
| Chief Financial Officer | Morena Mofokeng (Acting) |
| Senior Management | -P Chwene (Manager: Office of the Municipal Manager) – Mpho Maruping (Senior Manager: Engineering and Technical Services) – Tsholofelo Molise (Chief Audit Executive) – N Monyeke (Senior Manager: Economic Development, Tourism and Agriculture) – T Moroka (Acting Senior Manager: Corporate Services) – K Vogt (Senior Manager: Community Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Seatlathebe Lepomane (Manager: MPAC) – Joseph Motlhasedi (Manager: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality.
- Amalia
- Bloemhof
- Christiana
- Piet Plessis
- Pomfret
- Pudimoe
- Reivilo
- Schweizer-Reneke
- Stella
- Taung
- Vryburg
Contact details
The contact details of the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | P.O Box 21, Vryburg, 8600 |
| Physical address: | 34 Church Street, Vryburg, , 8601 |
| Telephone: | 053 928 6400 |
| Fax: | 053 928 2401 |
| Email: | info@drrsmdm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.drrsmdm.gov.za |
