The Greater Letaba Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northwestern region of the Mopani District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | Limpopo |
| District: | Mopani |
| Municipal code: | LIM332 |
| Seat: | Modjadjiskloof |
| Number of wards: | 30 |
| Total area: | 1,891 km² (730 square miles) |
| Population: | 261,038 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | TD Mamanyoha |
About
The Greater Letaba Local Municipality was proclaimed in 1990 and constituted after the 2000 municipal elections. It had been preceded by the Bolobedu – Hlanganani transitional council during 1995 – 2000.
The municipality was named “Letaba” after the Klein and Letaba rivers because it is located between the two rivers.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the permanent settlement of Europeans in the middle lowveld of the Transvaal started under the leadership of the Zuid Afrikaanse Republic.
Traditional communities e.g. the Balobedu, the Makgobas, the Pheehas, the Phookos, the Raphahlelos, the Letsoalos, and the Bakgaga ba Maupa had settled in the area for centuries.
The Greater Letaba Municipality is a place of peace, love, and harmony with diverse cultures. It is a region surrounded by beautiful mountains that dare tourists to come back and forests of blue gum trees that serve as one of the main economic sources in the area.
The Greater Letaba Local Municipality is geographically located in the northwestern region of the Mopani District Municipality.
The Greater Letaba Local Municipality covers an area of 1,891 km² (730 square miles) making it the smallest local municipality in the Mopani District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Greater Letaba Local Municipality is in Modjadjiskloof (previously known as Duiwelskloof).
The municipality is divided into 30 wards and 130 rural villages.
The Greater Letaba Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Greater Giyani Local Municipality to the east
- Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality to the southeast
- Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality to the south
- Molemole Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the west
- Makhado and Collins Chabane Local Municipalities in the Vhembe District Municipality to the north
The Southern boundary of the municipality is the Kgwekgwe Mountain range.
Under the municipality’s jurisdiction, falls the Lowveld traditional communities of Sekgosese, Pheeha, Mamaila, Sekgopo, Raphahlelo, Phooko, and the Balobedu communities of Modjadji, Mamaila, Rakwadu, the commercial farming areas of Duiwelskloof and Mooketsi and the traditional communities of Mahuntsi and Duvula who previously resorted under the Tiyani, Hlanganani District of Gazankulu.
For all its water resources, Greater Letaba Local Municipality is serviced through three main schemes namely Modjadji Schemes, the Middle Letaba Schemes, and Politsi.
The municipality is characterised by contrasts such as varied topography, population densities (low in the south, relatively dense in the northeast), prolific vegetation in the south (timber), and sparse vegetation in the north (Bushveld).
The availability of natural resources such as dams, tourist attractions, nature reserves, and proximity to intensive economic activities creates opportunities for economic spin-offs.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Greater Letaba Local Municipality has a population of 261,038 people, compared to 218,030 in 2016, and 213,932 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.93%.
According to the 2022 Census, 35.1% of the population is under the age of 15, 57.6% is between 15 and 64, and 7.4% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.8% of the population in the Greater Letaba Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.8% as White, 0.1% as Coloured, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
The dominant languages of the region are the so-called dialects of Sepedi, Khelobedu, Sebirwa, Setlokwa, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, and English.
However according to the 2022 Census, 80.4% of the population speaks Sepedi as their first language, 12.6% speak Xitsonga, 1.7% speak Sesotho, and 5.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Greater Letaba Local Municipality are General government services, wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation, transport and communication, finance and business services, agriculture, forestry and fishing, manufacturing, community, social and personal services, electricity and water.
Municipal council and management
The Greater Letaba municipal council is comprised of 60 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 30 wards, while the remaining 30 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) won a majority of 47 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 47 – EFF: 8 – COPE: 2 – DA: 1 – LIRA: 1 – MIM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | T.D. Mamanyoha |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | M.M. Mokgwathi |
| Chief Whip | R.R. Ramalatso |
| Other Council Members | – RG Baloyi (Exco: Infrastructure) – TJ Kgapane (Exco: Finance) – NF Lebeko (Exco: Corporate and Shared Services) – MD Mohlele (Exco: Public Transport and Roads) – MR Mosila (Exco: Community Services) – KE Ramaano (Exco: Sport, Arts and Culture) – ML Ramalobela (Exco: Environmental Affairs) – MJ Ramaremela (Exco: Economic Development, Housing, and Spatial Planning) – MG Selowa (Exco: Water and Sanitation) |
| Municipal Manager | M.O. Sewape |
| Chief Financial Officer | Lesley Mamatlepa |
| Senior Management | – MP Lekhota (Director: Corporate Services) – ID Mogale (Acting Director: Community Services) – G Nhlane (Director: Technical Services) – Eric Rabalela (Manager: LED) – J Shihundla (Acting Director: Development and Town Planning) |
| Communications Officers | Lovers Maenetje (Municipal Spokesperson) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Greater Letaba Local Municipality.
- Modjadjiskloof (formerly known as Duiwelskloof)
- Ga-Kgapane
- Makgakgapatse
Contact details
The contact details of the Greater Letaba Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 36, Modjadjiskloof, 0835 |
| Physical Address: | Civic Centre, 44 Botha Street, Modjadjiskloof |
| Telephone: | 015 309 9246 |
| Fax: | 015 309 9419 |
| Website: | www.greaterletaba.gov.za |
| Kgapane Hospital: | 015 328 7800 |
| Emergency Medical Care: | 084 124 |
| SAPS: | – 015 309 1712 – 082 532 4102 – 079 891 3931 |
