The Polokwane Local Municipality is a Category B municipality within the Capricorn District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B1 (secondary city) |
| Province: | Limpopo |
| District: | Capricorn |
| Municipal code: | LIM354 |
| Seat: | Polokwane |
| Number of wards: | 45 |
| Total area: | 5,054 km² (1,951 square miles) |
| Population: | 843,459 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Mosema Makoro John Mpe |
About
The Polokwane Local Municipality is geographically located in the southern half of the Capricorn District Municipality.
The municipality shares its name with the City of Polokwane (previously Pietersburg). In February 2002, the city was renamed Polokwane – a northern Sesotho word that means “place of safety”.
The Polokwane Local Municipality covers an area of 5,054 km² (1,951 square miles), just under a quarter of Capricorn District Municipality’s geographical area, making it the second-largest local municipality in the district.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the Polokwane Local Municipality is in Polokwane.
The municipality is divided into 45 wards.
The Polokwane Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Blouberg and Molemole Local Municipalities to the north
- Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality in the Mopani District Municipality to the east
- Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality to the south
- Mogalakwena Local Municipality in the Waterberg District Municipality to the west
Polokwane Local Municipality accounts for 3% of the total surface area of Limpopo Province, however, over 10% of the population of Limpopo resides within its boundaries. The municipality serves as the economic hub of Limpopo and has the highest population density in the Capricorn District Municipality.
In terms of its physical composition, Polokwane Municipality is 23% urbanised and 71% rural. The largest sector of the community resides in rural tribal villages, followed by urban settlements.
The municipal spatial pattern reflects that of the historic apartheid city model, characterised by segregated settlement. At the centre of the area is the Polokwane economic hub, which comprises the central business district, industrial area, and a range of social services and well-established formal urban areas servicing the more affluent residents of Polokwane.
Situated on the outskirts in several clusters are less formal settlement areas, which are experiencing enormous influx from rural-urban migration trends. These areas are in dire need of upgraded services and infrastructure, both social and engineering, and are struggling to cope with the informal influx of more and more people who want access to an improved quality and standard of living.
The Turfloop campus of the University of Limpopo is located in Mankweng and the Tshwane University of Technology has a satellite campus in Polokwane.
Although the municipality’s overall level of education has improved slightly in recent years, only 24% of the population have attained a Grade 12 education, and only 5.7% have achieved a tertiary education qualification.
As a result of low education levels and a largely unskilled population, large numbers of residents earn very little or no income, and poverty is a major problem in the municipal area.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Polokwane Local Municipality has a population of 843,459 people, compared to 797,127 in 2016, and 728,633 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.42%.
According to the 2022 Census, 21.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 65.1% is between 15 and 64, and 6.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 92.9% of the population in Polokwane Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 5.2% as White, 0.9% as Coloured, and 0.7% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 80.4% of the population speaks Sepedi as their first language, 5.4% speak Afrikaans, 3.2% speak English, 2.8% speak Xitsonga, and 8.2% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Polokwane Local Municipality are mining, community services, manufacturing, finance, wholesale and retail trade, and transport.
Municipal council and management
The Polokwane municipal council is comprised of 90 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Forty-five councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 45 wards, while the remaining 45 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 56 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 56 – EFF: 21 – DA: 7 – VF PLUS: 2 – ABC: 1 – ACDP: 1 – COPE: 1 – MSM: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Mosema Makoro John Mpe |
| Speaker | Kobela Welhemina Modiba |
| Chief Whip | Phethola Adolf Rapetswa |
| Other Council Members | – Makwena Betty Kgare (Roads, Transport, and Storm Water) – Jennifer Malope (Waste and Environment) – Tebele Jerry Mamabolo (Sports, Arts, Culture and Special Programmes) – Zanele Fikile Mashalane (Admin and Governance) – Puleng Mashangwane (Local Economic Development and Spatial Planning) – Alfred Moakamedi (Water and Sanitation) – Thabang Desmond Moloto (Energy Provision) – Tshepo Nkwe (Finance) – Joosuf Pemma (Housing) Ramasela Vivian Shadung (Community Services) |
| Municipal Manager | Thuso Nemugumoni |
| Chief Financial Officer | Thabo Nonyane |
| Senior Management | – K Choshi (Manager: Executive Mayor) – Fourie (Director: Energy Services) – H Kholope (Director: Planning and Economic Development) – M Lamola (Director: Roads and Transportation) – Monyamane Makoti (Director: Water and Sanitation Services) – M Malatji (Manager: Municipal Manager’s Office) – J Manyama (Human Resource Management) – M Matshivha (Director: Corporate and Shared Services) – T Ntshakala (Director: SPME) – Dr Thembekile Ntshakala (Director: Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation) – R Selepe (Director: Community Services) |
| Communications Officers | Matshidiso Mothapo |
Controversies
In October 2024, FF PLUS opened a case against ghost workers overtime, that costed Polokwane Local Municipality 200 million Rands.
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Polokwane Local Municipality.
- Polokwane
- Mankweng
Contact details
The contact details of Polokwane Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 111, Polokwane, 0700 |
| Physical Address: | Corner Landdros Mare and Bodenstein Streets, Polokwane, 0700 |
| Telephone: | 015 290 2000 |
| Fax: | 015 290 2106 |
| Website: | www.polokwane.gov.za |
