The Lephalale Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northern region of the Waterberg District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Limpopo |
| District: | Waterberg |
| Municipal code: | LIM362 |
| Seat: | Lephalale |
| Number of wards: | 13 |
| Total area: | 13,794 km² (5,326 square miles) |
| Population: | 125,198 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Aaron Mokgetle |
About
The municipality is named after the local river, Lephalale River, which is a tributary of the Limpopo River. This river has been the source of life for the people of this area from time immemorial.
Before the new dispensation, this municipality was called Ellisras; derived from the combination of surnames of two Afrikaners, Patric Ellis and Piet Erasmus, who settled in this area in the 1930s.
Lephalale Local Municipality is geographically located in the northern region of the Waterberg District Municipality.
The municipality’s northwestern border is part of the international border between South Africa and Botswana.
Lephalale Local Municipality is a gateway to Botswana with four international border posts to Botswana, namely; Groblersbridge, Stockpoort, Platjan, and Zanzibar.
Lephalale Local Municipality covers an area of 13,794 km² (5,326 square miles), making it the largest local municipality in the Waterberg District as it accounts for a third of its geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Lephalale Local Municipality is in Lephalale (previously known as Ellisras).
The town of Lephalale is located a mere 280 kilometres from Pretoria and is recognised as a gateway to Botswana and other Southern African countries.
The municipality is divided into 13 wards and has 78 voting stations.
Lephalale Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Blouberg Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the east
- Mogalakwena Local Municipality to the east
- Modimolle-Mookgophong Local Municipality to the south
- Thabazimbi Local Municipality to the south and west
- The Republic of Botswana to the west and north
Nestled at the spur of the Waterberg Mountains, Lephalale is a region of breathtaking beauty and peace.
Lephalale is an eco-tourism paradise and the most important hunting hub in South Africa.
Highlights like the awe-inspiring D’Nyala Nature Reserve, Marakele National Park, and the spectacular Mokolo Dam and Nature Reserve underscore why Lephalale is called the ‘heartbeat of the Waterberg Bushveld’.
Below are more tourist attractions on offer in Lephalale Local Municipality;
- Waterberg Biosphere
- 4×4 Adventure
- Fish Eagle
- Fish Route
- Hunting Safaris
- Bird Watching
- Game Viewing
- Rock Art
- Traditional Dancing
- Conferencing
- Golf
- Mogol Sports Club
As part of the Waterberg Biosphere, the Lephalale area is richly blessed with pristine natural beauty and an abundance of fauna and flora.
Lephalale offers an infinite variety of scenic contrasts and encompasses the unique Waterberg wilderness, which boasts superb vistas, mountain gorges, clear streams, and rolling hills. Geological sites and rock art are a strong drawcard for the region, suggesting its links to many previous generations.
Lephalale Local Municipality was identified by the Limpopo Employment Growth and Development Plan (LEGDP) as a petrochemical cluster and attained the status of a national development node.
The Waterberg coal fields, which boast more than 40% of the total coal reserves of South Africa, are located in Lephalale.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Lephalale Local Municipality has a population of 125,198 people, compared to 140,240 in 2016, and 118,864 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.5%.
According to the 2022 Census, 28.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 66.4% is between 15 and 64, and 4.9% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 90.7% of the population in Lephalale Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 7.9% as White, 0.9% as Coloured, and 0.3% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 51.7% of the population speaks Sepedi as their first language, 24.1% speak Setswana, 8.1% speak Afrikaans, 3.1% speak English, and 13% speak other languages.
Economy
There are three main economic activities in Lephalale Local Municipality, namely: mining & energy generation, agriculture, and tourism. These economic activities are the driving forces towards sustainability of livelihoods.
Other economic sectors of the municipality are; quarrying, finance, insurance, real estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade, catering, accommodation, transport, storage, communication, general government, forestry, fishing, electricity, gas, and water.
Municipal council and management
The Lephalale municipal council is comprised of 26 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 13 wards, while the remaining 13 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 19 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 19 – DA: 3 – EFF: 3 – ATM: 1 – INDEPENDENT: 1 – L.R.P: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Aaron Mokgetle |
| Speaker | GG Marakalala |
| Chief Whip | SJ Machaba |
| Other Council Members | – Modiba (Portfolio: GA and BTO) – WM Motlokwa (Exco Member) – MM Semenya (Exco Member and Portfolio Chairperson: Development Planning) – ML Shongwe (Exco Member and Portfolio: Infrastructure) |
| Municipal Manager | Motlalekgomo Mmope |
| Chief Financial Officer | Lesego Matlwa |
| Senior Management | – L Kgomo (Manager: IDP and PMS) – Gerben Makgamatha (Executive Manager: Corporate Services) – Victor Monyepao (Public Participation) Charity Radipabe (Executive Manager: Development Planning) – MC Seanego (Manager: LED) |
| Communications Officers | CS Chiloane |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Lephalale Local Municipality.
- Lephalale (formerly known as Ellisras)
Contact details
The contact details of Lephalale Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X136, Lephalale, 0555 |
| Physical Address: | Civic Center Onverwacht, Cnr Joe Slovo Street and Douwater Avenue, Lephalale, 0555 |
| Telephone: | 014 763 2193 / 014 763 5662 |
| Email: | munic@lephalale.gov.za |
| Website: | www.lephalale.gov.za |
