The JB Marks Local Municipality is a Category B municipality within the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality in the eastern region of the North West Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B1 (secondary city) |
| Province: | North West |
| District: | Dr Kenneth Kaunda |
| Municipal code: | NW405 |
| Seat: | Potchefstroom |
| Number of wards: | 34 |
| Total area: | 6,398 km² (2,470 square miles) |
| Population: | 212,670 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Gaba Thithiba Ka Qhele |
About
The JB Marks Local Municipality was established after the August 2016 local elections by merging the Ventersdorp and Tlokwe City Council Local Municipalities.
In 2017, following the creation of the new municipality the year before, the Municipality was renamed after John Beaver Marks, a political activist and trade unionist, who was born in Ventersdorp. Other name proposals included Josie Mpama, who was born in Potchefstroom.
The JB Marks Local Municipality is geographically located in the northern and eastern regions of the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.
The JB Marks Local Municipality covers an area of 6,398 km² (2,470 square miles), making it the largest of three local municipalities in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, as it accounts for almost half its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the JB Marks Local Municipality is in Potchefstroom, 145 kilometres southwest of OR Tambo International Airport. Potchefstroom also has its airfield, which can accommodate bigger aircraft and was formerly a military air base.
The municipality is divided into 34 wards.
The JB Marks Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Rustenburg and Kgetlengrivier Local Municipalities in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality to the north
- Ditsobotla Local Municipality in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality to the north and west
- The City of Matlosana Local Municipality to the west
- Moqhaka and Ngwathe Local Municipalities in the Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State Province to the south
- Merafong City Local Municipality in the West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng Province to the east
- Emfuleni Local Municipality in the Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng Province to the east
The N12 route that links Johannesburg to Cape Town via the city of Kimberley runs through the JB Marks Local Municipality. The main railway route from Gauteng to the Northern and Western Cape provinces also runs through one of the municipality’s main cities, Potchefstroom.
The municipality is home to the world-class North West University, which has its main campus in Potchefstroom and plays a big role in the provision of services in Potchefstroom.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the JB Marks Local Municipality has a population of 212,670 people, compared to 243,527 in 2016 and 219,463 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of -0.31%.
According to the 2022 Census, 25.4% of the population is under the age of 15, 68% is between 15 and 64, and 6.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 83.8% of the population in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 10.7% as White African, 5.1% as Coloured, and 0.1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 67.1% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 17.4% speak Afrikaans, 4.2% speak English, 1.4% speak isiZulu, 1.3% speak Sesotho, 1% speak isiXhosa, and 0.8% speak isiNdebele.
Economy
Gold mining is the dominant economic activity in the district, with Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp being the only exceptions. While Ventersdorp, to the north-west of Potchefstroom, focuses on agricultural activity, Potchefstroom’s economic activity is driven by services and manufacturing.
Other economic sectors of the JB Marks Local Municipality are trade, finance, and transport.
Potchefstroom’s industrial zone has many companies, focusing mainly on the industries of steel, food, and chemicals, with big entities such as King Korn, Kynoch, Naschem, and the Soya Protein Process (SPP) company. Within the city centre, the infrastructure of Potchefstroom supports roughly 600 businesses.
Municipal council and management
The JB Marks municipal council is comprised of 67 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 34 wards, while the remaining 33 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) lost its majority on the municipal council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 33 – DA: 17 – VF PLUS: 9 – EFF: 6 – PA: 2 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | Gaba Thithiba Ka Qhele |
| Speaker | Moithoesi Rosy Dassie |
| Chief Whip | Lumkile Links |
| Other Council Members | – Loreal Tesnia Abrahams (MMC: Financial Management Services) – Malverine Davis (MMC: Local Economic Development) – Mantwa Matilda Kasale (MMC: Community Services) – Mmasetlhake A Mapogoshe (MMC: Corporate Services) – Leon Musa Mkhabela (MMC: Community Safety) – Gerald Modibedi Modise (MMC: Infrastructure) – Ishmael Moilwa (MMC: Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development) – Thandiwe Prudence Mtayi (MMC: Transversal Services) – Patricia Mtshali (MMC: Sport, Arts and Culture) – Adra Lee-Rail Swarts (MMC: Housing Development and Planning) |
| Municipal Manager | Kgomotso Kumbe |
| Chief Financial Officer | Tshepang Ncqobe |
| Senior Management | – Kedumetse Batlhaodi (Head: Project Management Unit) – Desmond Carolus (Chief of Staff: Office of the Chief Whip) – Malebone Ditlhobolo (Head: Sewer Plant) – Moss Galeng (Head: Enterprise Development) – Kgomotso Kumbe (Acting Director: Department of Community Safety) – Moshe Legoete (Acting Director: Housing Development and Planning) – Jones Legoete (Head: Municipal Public Accounts Committee) – Tintswalo Mabobo (Head: Water Purification Plant and Water and Sewage) – Yvonne Malesa (Head: Risk Management) – Morwa Matsaunyane (Head: Roads and Storm Water) – Owageng Melamu (Head: Town Planning) – Jack Monnakgothu (Director: Department Technical Services) – Tsholofelo Moumakwa (Acting Head: Disaster Management Centre) – Thomas Muswede (Acting Director: Municipal Services and Local Economic Development) – Zaied Noorbhai (Head: Information and Communication Technology) – Kennedy Phiri (Head: Land Development and Property Rights) – Sam Present (Acting Chief of Staff: Office of the Executive Mayor and Head: Transversal Services) – Lerato Sepamatla (Acting Head: Tourism and Marketing) – Siphiwe Serobatse (Head: Performance Management System) – Joseph Simango (IDP Coordinator) – Errol Temanie (Acting Director: Corporate Services) – Sandile Tyatya (Chief of Staff: Office of the Speaker) |
| Communications Officers | – Mandla Tawana (Mayoral Spokesperson) – Keakantse Jeanette Tshite (Acting Head: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the JB Marks Local Municipality.
- Appeldraai
- Boskop
- Bruidegomskraal
- Doornkop
- Frederikstad
- GaMogopa
- Ikageng
- Lindequesdrif
- Makokskraal
- Matlwang
- Mohadin
- Mooivallei Park
- Potchefstroom
- Promosa
- Tshing
- Ventersdorp
- Venterskroon
- Vlieger
- Welgevonden
Contact details
The contact details of the JB Marks Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Potchefstroom Office (Physical Address): | 35 Wolmarans Street, Potchefstroom, 2531 |
| Ventersdorp Office (Physical Address): | No 1. Van Tonder Crescent, Ventersdorp, 2710 |
| Telephone: | 018 299 5111 |
| Website: | www.jbmarks.co.za |
| Police: | 10111 |
| Traffic Department: | 018 299 5330 (Potchefstroom) 018 264 8571 (Ventersdorp) |
| Electricity: | 018 299 5350 (Potchefstroom) 018 264 8529 (Ventersdorp) |
| Fire: | 018 293 1111 (Potchefstroom) 018 264 8534 (Ventersdorp) |
