The !Kheis Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southern region of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Northern Cape |
| District: | ZF Mgcawu |
| Municipal code: | NC084 |
| Seat: | Groblershoop |
| Number of wards: | 6 |
| Total area: | 11,107 km² (4,288 square miles) |
| Population: | 21,954 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Rolf Valton Christie |
About
The !Kheis Local Municipality was established from the former Groblershoop Municipality, from settlements that were previously part of the Karoo and ZF Mgcawu District Municipalities. These municipalities administered these settlements and provided them with services up until the demarcation in November 2000. From December 2000, the !Kheis Municipality took over services and personnel, and total service provision took place from 1 July 2001.
The municipality is named in recognition of the Khoekhoe people who were the first permanent residents of the area. The name ǃKheis is a Khoikhoi word meaning “a place where you live, or a home”.
The !Kheis municipal area was initially inhabited by the Khoisan people, who were also the first permanent inhabitants of South Africa. The San, who lived a nomadic life, migrated through the region.
The !Kheis Local Municipality is geographically located in the southern region of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality.
The !Kheis Local Municipality comprises 6 wards and covers an area of 11,107 km² (4,288 square miles), making it the second-smallest of five local municipalities in the ZF Mgcawu District, as it accounts for 11% of its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the !Kheis Local Municipality is in Groblershoop.
The !Kheis Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Tsantsabane and Dawid Kruiper Local Municipalities to the north
- Kai !Garib Local Municipality to the west
- Hantam Local Municipality in the Namakwa District Municipality to the west
- Kareeberg Local Municipality in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality to the south
- Siyathemba and Siyancuma Local Municipalities in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality to the east
Most existing roads in the !Kheis Local Municipality are mainly gravel. The main road (N10) from Upington to Groblershoop is a tar road.
Groblershoop is also connected by the N8 route to Griekwastad and by the N10 route to Marydale.
Due to the climate of the region, there is huge potential to utilise solar energy more widely, especially in the remote areas of the municipality.
The Orange River stretches through the municipality, from the southeast to the northwest. The presence of this perennial river makes water available and in abundance, thus contributing to the establishment of table grapes, which are marketed and exported to Western Europe.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the !Kheis Local Municipality has a population of 21,954 people, compared to 16,566 in 2016 and 16,637 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.69%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 63.5% is between 15 and 64, and 5.7% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 85.3% of the population in the !Kheis Local Municipality describes itself as Coloured, 6.9% as Black African, 5.4% as White, and 1% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 94.5% of the population speaks Afrikaans as their first language, 1.9% speak Setswana, 1.1% speak English, and 2.5% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sector of the !Kheis Local Municipality is agriculture.
Municipal council and management
The !Kheis municipal council is comprised of 11 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 6 wards, while the remaining 5 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, no party obtained a majority of seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 5 – DA: 2 – INDEPENDENT: 2 – COPE: 1 – EFF: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council |
| Executive Mayor | Rolf Valton Christie |
| Speaker | Koos Esau |
| Chief Whip | n/a |
| Other Council Members | – Josef Silo (MPAC Chairperson and Portfolio Chairperson: Infrastructure and Economic Development) – Abraham Tobias (Portfolio Chairperson: Health and Social Services) |
| Municipal Manager | Floyd Leeuw |
| Chief Financial Officer | Donovan Block |
| Senior Management | – A Daniels (Manager: LED) – D Dolopi (Senior Manager: Technical Services) – Cornelius Van Eck (Senior Manager: Community Services) |
| Communications Officers | – John Nkoane (Communications Manager) – Teresa Scheepers – Ronnie van der Westhuizen |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the !Kheis Local Municipality.
- Brandboom
- Gannaput
- Groblershoop
- Grootdrink
- Putsonderwater
- Wegdraai
Contact details
The contact details of the !Kheis Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 176, Groblershoop, 8850 |
| Physical Address: | 97 Oranje Street, Groblershoop |
| Telephone: | 054 833 9500 |
| Fax: | 054 833 0690 |
| Email: | admin@kheis.co.za |
| Website: | www.kheis.co.za |
