The Makhado Local Municipality is a Category B municipality within the Vhembe 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: | Vhembe |
| Municipal code: | LIM344 |
| Seat: | Makhado |
| Number of wards: | 38 |
| Total area: | 7,605 km² (2,936 square miles) |
| Population: | 502,397 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Dorcus Mboyi |
About
Makhado Local Municipality was first established on 31 October 1934 as the Louis Trichardt Town Council. With the new municipal demarcation, several municipalities were established in 1997.
However, following the Municipal Structures Act of 1998, the municipalities were merged into an NP344 Municipality that is now known as the Makhado Municipality.
The municipality is named after King Makhado, a 19th-century VhaVenda king who led the Venda people in withstanding attacks by encroaching Boers until he died in 1897.
The Boers established the town of Louis Trichardt after defeating the Venda, but the Anglo-Boer War, which took place between 1899 and 1902, prevented full-scale Boer occupation as troops were withdrawn to fight the British.
After the town’s name was changed in 2003, the Limpopo Government erected a statue in honour of King Makhado.
Makhado Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the Vhembe District Municipality in the northern part of Limpopo Province (coordinates 23° 00´ 00´´ S 29° 45´ 00´´ E), approximately 100 kilometres from the Zimbabwean border along the N1 Route.
The Makhado Local Municipality covers an area of 7,605 km² (2,936 square miles), making it the second-largest local municipality in the Vhembe District as it accounts for almost a third of its geographical area.
The municipality is made up of four formal towns namely, Louis Trichardt, Vleifontein, Waterval, and Dzanani with more than 200 villages.
Makhado Local Municipality is divided into 38 wards and has 14 traditional leaders who are ex-officio members of the municipality council, and 10 councillors who are members of the executive committee.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Makhado Local Municipality is in Makhado (previously known as Louis Trichardt) with three supporting regional administrative offices in Dzanani, Vleifontein, and Waterval.
The Makhado Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Musina Local Municipality to the north
- Thulamela and Collins Chabane Local Municipalities to the east
- Greater Letaba Local Municipality in the Mopani District Municipality to the south
- Molemole Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the south
- Blouberg Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the west
The municipality is strategically located on a macro scale along a major passage between South Africa and the rest of the African continent.
Based on the vastness of the rural populace, Makhado Local Municipality can be classified as predominately rural.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Makhado Local Municipality has a population of 502,397 people, compared to 416,728 in 2016, and 411,353 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.94%.
According to the 2022 Census, 31.3% of the population is under the age of 15, 61.6% is between 15 and 64, and 7.1% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 97.3% of the population in the Makhado Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 2% as White, 0.4% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 68.1% of the population speaks Tshivenḓa as their first language, 22.1% speak Xitsonga, 2.6% speak Sepedi, 2.2% speak Afrikaans, and 5% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the Makhado Local Municipality are finance, community services, trade, and transport.
Municipal council and management
The Makhado municipal council is comprised of 75 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 38 wards, while the remaining 37 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 62 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 62 – DA: 5 – EFF: 4 – ACDP: 1 – APC: 1 – IRC: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Dorcus Mboyi |
| Speaker | TG Mukwevho-Mitileli |
| Chief Whip | RS Baloyi |
| Other Council Members | n/a |
| Municipal Manager | MK Nemaname |
| Chief Financial Officer | NG Raliphada |
| Senior Management | – HJ Lukheli (Director: Community Services) – A Mabunda (Director: Development Planning) – SD Maguga (Director: Corporate Services) – DG Siboiboi (Director: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | Louis Bobodi |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Makhado Local Municipality.
- Makhado (formerly known as Louis Trichardt)
- Dzanani
- Vleifontein
- Waterval
- Nzhelele
- Elim
- Tshitale
- Levubu,
- Alldays
- Buysdorp
- Bandelierkop
Contact details
The contact details of the Makhado Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X2596, Makhado, 0920 |
| Physical Address: | Civic Centre, 83 Krogh Street, Makhado, 0920 |
| Telephone: | 015 519 3000 |
| Fax: | 015 516 5084 |
| Email: | municipal.manager@makhado.gov.za |
| Website: | www.makhado.gov.za |
| Anti-Fraud & Corruption Hotline: | 080 066 8538 |
| Fire Station: | – 015 516 5588 – 015 516 0551 |
Directions
You turn left into R522 (Rissik Street) from the N1 from Polokwane, travel straight ahead over 6 Stop Signs, the seventh is Robot (Krogh Street), turn right into Krogh Street, drive over one stop sign and you will then find the entrance to Makhado Local Municipality on your right-hand side.
