Mantsopa Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southern region of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Thabo Mofutsanyana |
| Municipal code: | FS196 |
| Seat: | Ladybrand |
| Number of wards: | 9 |
| Total area: | 4,291 km² (1,657 square miles) |
| Population: | 55,897 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mamsie Tsoene |
About
The Mantsopa Local Municipality was established on 5 December 2000 and comprises the previous areas of jurisdiction of Tweespruit Transitional Local Council (TLC), Excelsior TLC, Ladybrand TLC, Thaba Patchoa TLC, Hobhouse TLC, and Maluti Transitional Rural Council.
Following the 2011 local government elections, which resulted in the establishment of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and the disestablishment of the Motheo District Municipality, the Mantsopa Local Municipality was incorporated into the Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality.
Mantsopa Local Municipality is geographically located in the southern region of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality.
The municipality is named after the Basotho prophet Mantsopa Makhetha. She was a cousin sister to King Moshoeshoe, who banished her from his Kingdom when he suspected that her powers were greater than his.
When Mantsopa arrived at Modderpoort, there were no houses and it is said that she stayed in a cave. She was a great prophetess and everything that she predicted happened. In 1886, a group of men called “The Brotherhood of St Augustine” arrived at Modderpoort on their way to Durban. Mantsopa accommodated them in her cave. She later left them in this cave and settled at Spitskop Mountain, and built a small house for herself. This cave was later known as “Lehaha la Mantsopa”. The missionaries decided to stay and not go to Durban anymore and they turned the cave into a chapel. Mantsopa also had a fountain (this fountain still exists to date) that does not dry up at a mountain called “Verve”. She used the water from the fountain to cure sick people. Mantsopa believed in God but did not know modern religion. She later joined the church and was baptised and given the name Anna.
Mantsopa’s grave continues to be visited and offerings are still placed on or near it. The entire area mentioned above was later known as “Lekgalong la Mantsopa” (Mantsopa’s Pass).
Mantsopa Local Municipality covers an area of 4,291 km² (1,657 square miles), making it the smallest local municipality in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District, as it accounts for 13% of its geographical area. Approximately 66.6% of the municipal area has remained as a natural habitat
The administrative headquarters/seat of Mantsopa Local Municipality is in Ladybrand.
The municipality is divided into 9 wards.
Mantsopa Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Setsoto Local Municipality to the east and northeast
- Masilonyana Local Municipality in the Lejweleputswa District Municipality to the north and northwest
- Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to the west
- The country of Lesotho to the south and east
There are no protected areas or Ramsar sites in the Mantsopa Local Municipality. Grassland is the only biome in the municipality. Six vegetation types are found in the Mantsopa Municipality.
There are two vulnerable ecosystems, namely the Eastern Temperate Freshwater Wetlands and the Eastern Free State Clay Grassland.
The Freshwater Ecosystems in Mantsopa Local Municipality are characterized by three water management areas which include the Middle Vaal and Upper Orange. Six rivers run through the municipality. Wetlands cover approximately 6936.8 hectares of the municipal area.
Mantsopa Local Municipality is accessible via the N8 and R26 roads, which traverse the area. A railway line that runs along these routes services the area. The municipality incorporates five small towns that serve the surrounding rural community.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Mantsopa Local Municipality has a population of 55,897, compared to 53,525 in 2016 and 51,056 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.88%.
According to the 2022 Census, 28.5% of the population is under the age of 15, 64.7% is between 15 and 64, and 6.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 88.4% of the population in Dihlabeng Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 6.6% as White, 3.9% as Coloured, and 0.6% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 82.1% of the population speaks Sesotho as their first language, 9.8% speak Afrikaans, 4.1% speak English, 1.4% use South African Sign Language, and 2.6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Mantsopa Local Municipality are tourism, commercial farming, the private sector, and the public sector.
Municipal council and management
The Mantsopa municipal council is comprised of 18 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Nine councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 9 wards, while the remaining 9 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 11 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 11 – DA: 4 – EFF: 2 – COPE: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Mamsie Tsoene |
| Speaker | M.E Ncwada |
| Chief Whip | Khethang Tigeli |
| Other Council Members | – Tania Halse – Deryck Brian Holmes – Mohanoe James Machakela – Mathabo Anna Malakane – Anna Majara Mapuleng – Sello Deneys Ntsepe – Bonakele Matthews Sani – Mapitso Cecilia Sebotsa – Matsheo Godfrey Seoe |
| Municipal Manager | Matiro Mogopodi |
| Chief Financial Officer | Takalani Tshikundu |
| Senior Management | – Pieter Le Roux (Budget and Treasury Officer) – Motshedisi Lesoetsa (Director: Community Services) – Adv Nthama Litabe (Director: Corporate Services) – Afrika Masuku (Director: Technical Services) – MJ Mohapi (Manager: Information and Communication Technology) – Lizzie Ntsepe (Human Resource Manager) – Mantshebo Theko (Manager: LED) |
| Communications Officers | – Pule Lechesa (Communications Manager) – Dumile Nana (Acting Manager: Communications and Marketing) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Mantsopa Local Municipality.
- Excelsior
- Hobhouse
- Ladybrand
- Thaba Patchoa
- Tweespruit
Contact details
The contact details of Mantsopa Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 64, Ladybrand, 9745 |
| Physical Address: | 38 Joubert Street, Ladybrand, 9745 |
| Telephone: | 051 924 0654 |
| Fax: | 051 924 0020 |
