The Maruleng Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southern region of the Mopani 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: | Mopani |
| Municipal code: | LIM335 |
| Seat: | Hoedspruit |
| Number of wards: | 14 |
| Total area: | 3,563 km² (1,376 square miles) |
| Population: | 128,137 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Tsheko Calais Musolwa |
About
The Maruleng Local Municipality is geographically located in the southern region of the Mopani District Municipality.
The Maruleng Local Municipality covers an area of 3,563 km² (1,376 square miles), making it the third-largest local municipality in the Mopani District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Maruleng Local Municipality is in Hoedspruit.
The municipality is divided into 14 wards.
The Maruleng Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Ba-Phalaborwa and Greater Tzaneen Local Municipalities to the north
- Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality in the Capricorn District Municipality to the west
- Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality in the Sekhukhune District Municipality to the west
- Thaba Chweu Local Municipality in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality of the Mpumalanga Province to the south
- Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality of the Mpumalanga Province to the south and east
- Kruger National Park to the east
The main access points to Maruleng Local Municipality are considered to be Mica in the north, Klaserie and the Strijdom Tunnel in the south, and Ofcolaco in the west.
The town of Hoedspruit can be considered the administrative and economic centre of the region. It is also the location of the Hoedspruit Air Force Base.
Some of the main tourist attractions in the municipality are the Khamai Reptile Centre, the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, Bombyx Mori Silk Farm, the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, Franklyn Park, the Siyafunda Endangered Species Project, and the Glencoe Baobab.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Maruleng Local Municipality has a population of 128,137 people, compared to 99,946 in 2016, and 95,328 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.87%.
According to the 2022 Census, 32.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 60.9% is between 15 and 64, and 6.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 95.5% of the population in the Maruleng Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 3.8% as White, 0.3% as Coloured, and 0.2% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 89.7% of the population speaks Sepedi as their first language, 3.9% speak Xitsonga, 2.7% speak Afrikaans, 1.6% speak English, and 3.6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sector of the Maruleng Local Municipality is agriculture.
Municipal council and management
The Maruleng municipal council is comprised of 27 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Fourteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 14 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 15 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 15 – EFF: 4 – CIVIC WARRIORS: 3 – DA: 2 – INDEPENDENT: 2 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Tsheko Calais Musolwa |
| Speaker | Raganya Blantina |
| Chief Whip | Thobejane Happy Mafura |
| Other Council Members | n/a |
| Municipal Manager | Nanki Sedibaneng Hoaeane |
| Chief Financial Officer | Sebelebele Tlou Herman |
| Senior Management | – Morwa Lesley Muroa (Acting Director: Technical Services) – H Phasha (Director: Community Services) – Dr Setimela Sampson Sebashe (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | – Sodi Magomane – Paulina Tlaisego Mohlala |
Corruption
In 2018, the Municipal Manager of Maruleng Local Municipality, Sutane Johannes Lethole, was accused of outsourcing the rental of a single truck for waste removal at R500,000 per month, with a 15% annual escalation.
Lethole was also alleged to have increased his salary to R1.1 million a month, with a cellphone allowance of R2,063, without council approval.
Lethole resigned after the Democratic Alliance and Civic Warriors of Maruleng brought the corruption to light.
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Maruleng Local Municipality.
- Hoedspruit
Contact details
The contact details of the Maruleng Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 627, Hoedspruit, 1380 |
| Physical Address: | 64 Springbok Street, Hoedspruit, 1380 |
| Telephone: | – 015 793 2409 – 015 590 1650 |
| Fax: | 015 793 2341 |
| Website: | www.maruleng.gov.za |
