The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the western 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: | LIM333 |
| Seat: | Tzaneen |
| Number of wards: | 35 |
| Total area: | 2,897 km² (1,119 square miles) |
| Population: | 478,254 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Gerson Molapisane |
About
The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the Mopani District Municipality.
The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality covers an area of 2,897 km² (1,119 square miles) making it the second-smallest local municipality in the Mopani District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is in Tzaneen.
The municipality is divided into 35 wards.
The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Greater Letaba Local Municipality to the north
- Greater Giyani Local Municipality to the northeast
- Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality to the east
- Maruleng Local Municipality to the south
- Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the south
- Polokwane Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the west
- Molemole Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the northwest
Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality contains 125 rural villages, with almost 80% of households residing in these villages.
The Phalaborwa Spatial Development Initiative transverses the municipal area, while one of the major roads linking Gauteng and the Kruger National Park also passes through the area.
The municipality is characterised by extensive and intensive farming activities and considerable untapped tourism potential.
The Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is home to the Tzaneen Dam, the Tzaneen Dam Nature Reserve, and the Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve as some of the region’s iconic tourist attractions.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality has a population of 478,254 people, compared to 416,146 in 2016, and 389,623 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.99%.
According to the 2022 Census, 31.4% of the population is under the age of 15, 62.1% is between 15 and 64, and 6.4% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 96.4% of the population in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 3% as White, 0.4% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 46.2% of the population speaks Sepedi as their first language, 40.9% speak Xitsonga, 4.3% speak Sesotho, 2.6% speak Afrikaans, and 6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality are agriculture, finance, community services, manufacturing, and trade.
Municipal council and management
The Greater Tzaneen municipal council is comprised of 69 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-five councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 35 wards, while the remaining 34 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 51 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 51 – EFF: 9 – DA: 5 – AFP: 1 – APC: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Gerson Molapisane |
| Speaker | Sanie Muhlavasi Tiba |
| Chief Whip | Given Marvin Malatji |
| Other Council Members | – Clifford Letsoalo – Margareth Makwala (Transport and Special Programmes) – Thabo Maunatlala (Finance) – Maria Mmola (Health and Social Services) – Rene Edna Pohl – Sophy Raganya (Planning and Economic Development) – Constance Ramothwala (Infrastructure) – Mfichana Richard Shingange (Governance and Shared Services) |
| Municipal Manager | Donald Mhangwana |
| Chief Financial Officer | Choene Marius Maeta |
| Senior Management | – Benjamin Mathebula (Director: Planning and Economic Development) – Freedom Mthetwa (Director: Electrical Engineering) – Cate Ntimbani (Director: Community Services) – Gaitsiwe Sheron Sepeng (Director: Corporate Services) – Olga Tshisevhe (Director: Engineering Services) |
| Communications Officers | Neville Ndlaba |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality.
- Haenertsburg
- Letsitele
- Nkowankowa
- Maake
- Tzaneen
Contact details
The contact details of the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 24, Tzaneen, 0850 |
| Physical Address: | Civic Centre, 38 Agatha Street, Tzaneen, 0850 |
| Telephone: | 015 307 8000 |
| Fax: | 015 307 8049 |
| Email: | info@tzaneen.gov.za |
| Website: | www.greatertzaneen.gov.za |
| Anti-Corruption: | 080 044 6644 |
| Fire: | 015 306 7051 |
| EMS: | 015 307 7077 |
| Mopani Disaster Centre: | 015 306 7000 |
| Tzaneen Disaster Center: | 015 306 7010 |
| Tzaneen Police Station: | 015 306 2000 |
| Letsitele Police Station: | 015 345 1232 |
| Maake Police Station: | 015 355 8331 |
| Ritavi Police Station: | 015 303 8008 |
| Bolobedu Police Station: | 015 328 7500 |
