Phokwane Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the northeastern region of the Frances Baard District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Northern Cape |
| District: | Frances Baard |
| Municipal code: | NC094 |
| Seat: | Hartswater |
| Number of wards: | 10 |
| Total area: | 828 km² (320 square miles) |
| Population: | 80,481 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Tebogo Africa |
About
Phokwane Local Municipality is geographically located in the northeastern region of the Frances Baard District Municipality, 125 kilometres along the N18 to Vryburg.
The municipality is named after Queen Phokwane, the wife of Kgosi Galeshewe of the Barolong boo Ra-Tlhaping tribe.
The name Phokwane is derived from a Setswana word meaning “small Billy goat”.
Phokwane Local Municipality comprises 10 wards and covers an area of 828 km² (320 square miles), making it the smallest of four local municipalities in the Frances Baard District, as it accounts for about 6% of its geographical area.
Phokwane Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Greater Taung Local Municipality in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in the North West Province to the north and west
- Magareng Local Municipality to the south
- Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in the North West Province to the east
The administrative headquarters/seat of Phokwane Local Municipality is in Hartswater.
Phokwane is nestled in the lush green delta of the Hartswater region and boasts the second-largest irrigation scheme in the Southern Hemisphere, namely the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme.
The majority of inhabitants are found in the peri-urban areas of the municipality.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Phokwane Local Municipality has a population of 80,481 people, compared to 60,168 in 2016 and 63,000 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.38%.
According to the 2022 Census, 29.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 63.6% is between 15 and 64, and 6.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 81.9% of the population in Phokwane Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 11% as Coloured, 6.3% as White, and 0.4% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 66.6% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 18.9% speak Afrikaans, 5.6% speak isiXhosa, 3.9% speak English, and 5% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Phokwane Local Municipality are agriculture, retail, private household, community development, and informal.
In terms of agriculture, Phokwane Local Municipality exports citrus, grape, and olive products.
Municipal council and management
The municipality is under S139 administration, effective from July 2020.
The Phokwane municipal council comprises 19 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Ten councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 10 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 10 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 10 – EFF: 4 – DA: 2 – F4SD: 1 – PSDF: 1 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Tebogo Africa |
| Speaker | R Selogilwe |
| Chief Whip | Shadrack Thube (Chief Whip and Chairperson: Technical Services) |
| Other Council Members | – E Davies – T Diloke – G Halter – W Harmse – L Jankie – S Khosa – A le Roux – E Meyer – M Mohale – S Mokgobo – N Pieters – N Pitso – Michael Setlhogomi |
| Administrator | Bamba Ndwandwe |
| Municipal Manager | Thuso Nemugumoni |
| Chief Financial Officer | Kevin Khoabane |
| Senior Management | – Mpho Mojaki (Director: Cooperative Services) – Zithulele Nikani (Director: Planning and Operations) – Richard Sengani (Director: Human Settlement and Infrastructure) |
| Communications Officers | – Kgalalelo Letshabo – Thembi Pule (Information Officer [PIA]) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Phokwane Local Municipality.
- Ganspan
- Hartswater
- Jan Kempdorp
- Pampierstad
Contact details
The contact details of Phokwane Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X3, Hartswater, 8570 |
| Physical Address: | 24 Hertzog Street, Hartswater, 8570 |
| Telephone: | 053 474 9700 |
| Fax: | 053 474 1768 |
| Email: | info@phokwane.gov.za |
| Website: | www.phokwane.gov.za |
