The Metsimaholo Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northern region of the Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B2 (large town) |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Fezile Dabi |
| Municipal code: | FS204 |
| Seat: | Sasolburg |
| Number of wards: | 23 |
| Total area: | 1,717 km² (663 square miles) |
| Population: | 158,391 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Jack Malindi |
About
Metsimaholo Local Municipality was established in 2000 through the amalgamation of the then Sasolburg, Oranjeville, and Deneysville Transitional Local Councils.
The name ‘Metsimaholo’ is a Sesotho word meaning “vast waters” due to the abundance of water resource available in this area.
The Metsimaholo Local Municipality is geographically located in the northern region of the Fezile Dabi District Municipality.
The Metsimaholo Local Municipality covers an area of 1,717 km² (663 square miles), making it the smallest of four municipalities in the Fezile Dabi District as it accounts for 8% of its geographical area
The administrative headquarters/seat of Metsimaholo Local Municipality is in Sasolburg.
The dominance of Sasolburg, owing to its population density and its proximity to the economically active City of Johannesburg, provides the area with the opportunity of being declared the head office of the entire Metsimaholo Municipality.
The municipality is divided into 23 wards.
The Metsimaholo Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Ngwathe Local Municipality to the west and south
- Mafube Local Municipality to the southeast
- Dipaleseng Local Municipality in the Gert Sibande District Municipality in the Mpumalanga Province to the east
- Emfuleni and Midvaal Local Municipalities in the Sedibeng District Municipality in Gauteng Province to the north
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Metsimaholo Local Municipality has a population of 158,391 people, compared to 163,564 in 2016, and 149,108 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.59%.
According to the 2022 Census, 25.3% of the population is under the age of 15, 68.4% is between 15 and 64, and 6.3% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 82.3% of the population in Mafube Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 16.4% as White, 0.7% as Coloured, and 0.3% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 59.9% of the population speaks Sesotho as their first language, 16.7% speak Afrikaans, 7.6% speak isiXhosa, 6% speak isiZulu, and 9.8% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Metsimaholo Local Municipality are community services, retail, and manufacturing.
Municipal council and management
The Metsimaholo municipal council is comprised of 46 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twenty-three councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 23 wards, while the remaining 23 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, no party won a majority on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 16 – DA: 12 – EFF: 12 – VF PLUS: 3 – AIC: 1 – ATM: 1 – MCA: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC/EFF Coalition |
| Executive Mayor | Jack Malindi |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Lucas Fisher |
| Chief Whip | Fikile Mosokweni |
| Other Council Members | – Lebohang Makhefu (MMC: Human Settlements and Urban Planning) – Mokoma Masiteng (MMC: Waste Management) – Sarah Mapule Mofokeng (MMC: Parks and Recreation) – Angelina Mofokeng (MMC: Special Programmes) – Lefa Nhlapo (MMC: Public Safety, Security, Traffic and Disaster) – Leetoane Tsotetsi (MMC: LED and Planning [Marketing and Tourism]) |
| Municipal Manager | Basi Motloung |
| Chief Financial Officer | Fikile Mareka |
| Senior Management | – Tshidi Mkhefa (Acting Director: LED and Urban Planning) – Khubekile Mvulane (Acting Director: Technical and Infrastructural Services) – Mateboho Rapuleng (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Dr Gino Alberts (Communications Manager) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Metsimaholo Local Municipality.
- Deneysville
- Holly Country (previously known as Coalbrook)
- Kragbron
- Metsimaholo
- Oranjeville
- Refengkgotso
- Sasolburg
- Viljoensdrif
- Zamdela
Contact details
The contact details of Metsimaholo Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 60, Sasolburg, 1947 |
| Physical Address: | Civic Centre, Fichardt Street, Sasolburg |
| Telephone: | 016 973 8301 |
| Fax: | 016 973 2191 |
| Website: | www.metsimaholo.gov.za |
