Lesedi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the eastern region of the Sedibeng District Municipality in the Gauteng Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Gauteng |
| District: | Sedibeng |
| Municipal code: | GT423 |
| Seat: | Heidelberg |
| Number of wards: | 13 |
| Total area: | 1,484 km² (573 square miles) |
| Population: | 132,783 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mluleki Nelson Ronald Nkosi |
About
Lesedi Local Municipality is geographically situated in the eastern part of the Sedibeng District Municipality.
Lesedi is a Sesotho word meaning “light”. The name was derived from the description of the municipality which represents light within the area.
Lesedi Local Municipality is situated in Heidelberg, which is situated along the N3 freeway at its intersection with the Provincial Route R42, east of the Suikerborsrand Nature Reserve.
The municipality is described primarily as a rural area, with towns situated within it, namely Heidelberg/Ratanda in the western part and Devon/Impumelelo on its eastern edge.
Lesedi Local Municipality covers an area of 1,484 km² (573 square miles), making it the second-largest local municipality in the Sedibeng District as it accounts for over a third of the district’s geographical area.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Lesedi Local Municipality is in Heidelberg.
The municipality is divided into 13 wards.
Lesedi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Midvaal Local Municipality to the west
- The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to the north
- Victor Khanye Local Municipality in the Nkangala District in Mpumalanga Province to the northeast
- Govan Mbeki Local Municipality in the Gert Sibande District in Mpumalanga Province to the east
- Dipaleseng Local Municipality in the Gert Sibande District in Mpumalanga Province to the south
The municipality has strong productive industries that include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, tourism, transport, and logistic services.
The tourism industry in Lesedi is bolstered by the areas of natural beauty, rich history, and accessibility. Furthermore, the industry has the potential to drive the economy in Lesedi as it caters primarily to weekend and day visitors from Pretoria and Johannesburg.
With regards to international tourism, there is a greater potential for growth considering business-related visits, work retreats, and stopovers for tourists travelling along the N3 and other access roads.
Failed Merger
In 2013, a proposal was made for the Lesedi Local Municipality to cease being a local municipality under the Sedibeng District Municipality and to be merged into the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality after the 2016 municipal elections.
The Democratic Alliance opposed the proposal and challenged it. As a result, the planned absorption of the Lesedi municipality into Ekurhuleni after the 2016 municipal elections was blocked by the High Court of South Africa in 2015.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Lesedi Local Municipality has a population of 132,783 people, compared to 112,472 in 2016, and 99,520 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.8%.
According to the 2022 Census, 23.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 69.9% is between 15 and 64, and 6.3% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 77.3% of the population in Lesedi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 19.7% as White, 1.3% as Indian/Asian, and 1.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 40.8% of the population speaks Zulu as their first language, 21.9% speak Sesotho, 19.5% speak Afrikaans, 5% speak English, and 12.8% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Lesedi Local Municipality are manufacturing, financial services, and community services.
Municipal council and management
The Lesedi 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 plurality of seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 13 – DA: 5 – EFF: 4 – VF PLUS: 3 – SEFM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Mluleki Nelson Ronald Nkosi |
| Speaker | Phindile Rachel Mpemvu |
| Chief Whip | Themba Gama |
| Other Council Members | – Sibongile Emily Magazi (MMC: Infrastructure) – Thulani Mashinini (MMC: Community Services) – Themba Motsepe (MMC: Economic LED and Planning) – Mapule Motsepe (MMC: Legal and Corporate Services) |
| Municipal Manager | S’busiso Goodhope Dlamini |
| Chief Financial Officer | Gugu Mncube |
| Senior Management | – Dr Nomphumelelo Khawula (Executive Manager: Community Services) – Mashele Lukhele (MMC: Finance) – Sizwe Mazibuko (Executive Manager: LED) – Zanele Shabalala (Manager: Community Services) – Teboho Tsoku (Human Resources: Recruitment Officer) – Thobeka Zondi (Executive Manager: Infrastructure Services) |
| Communications Officers | Katleho Seaga |
Mismanagement
In 2021, The Hawks arrested Mr Tshepo Malekana, development and planning manager at the municipality, for allegedly defrauding the municipality by selling vacant municipal land illegally and unlawfully between 2017 and 2019. He reportedly received cash payments totaling R100 million.
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Lesedi Local Municipality.
- Devon
- Heidelberg
- Nigel
- Vischkuil
- Ratanda
- Impumelelo
Contact details
The contact details of Lesedi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | PO Box 201, Heidelberg, 1441 |
| Physical address: | Civic Centre, C/O 1 HF Verwoerd and Louw Street, Heidelberg |
| Telephone: | 016 330 0400 |
| Email: | complaints@lesedi.gov.za |
| Website: | www.lesedi-lm.gauteng.gov.za |
