Ratlou Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the western region of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B4 (mostly rural) |
| Province: | North West |
| District: | Ngaka Modiri Molema |
| Municipal code: | NW381 |
| Seat: | Setlagole |
| Number of wards: | 14 |
| Total area: | 4,884 km² (1,886 square miles) |
| Population: | 128,766 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Matlhomola Jafta |
About
Ratlou Local Municipality (previously Setla-Kgobi Local Municipality) is geographically located in the western region of the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality.
Ratlou Local Municipality comprises 14 wards and covers an area of 4,884 km² (1,886 square miles), making it the second-smallest of five local municipalities in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Ratlou Local Municipality is in Setlagole.
Ratlou Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Mahikeng Local Municipality to the east
- Tswaing Local Municipality to the southeast
- Naledi Local Municipality in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality to the south and west
- Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality to the west
- The Republic of Botswana to the north
Ratlou Local Municipality is predominantly rural and is constituted by about 26 villages and commercial farms.
Owing to its nature as a rural municipality, Ratlou does not have large economic centres within its jurisdiction. Most government services are conducted from various centres that are mainly located in Setlagole.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Ratlou Local Municipality has a population of 128,766 people, compared to 106,108 in 2016 and 107,339 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.77%.
According to the 2022 Census, 35.2% of the population is under the age of 15, 57.4% is between 15 and 64, and 7.4% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.2% of the population in Ratlou Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 0.7% as White, 0.7% as Coloured, and 0.2% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 87.9% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 3.7% speak Sesotho, 2% speak English, 1.9% speak isiXhosa, and 4.5% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Ratlou Local Municipality are mining, agriculture, and tourism.
Municipal council and management
The Ratlou 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 19 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 19 – EFF: 3 – F4SD: 3 – DA: 1 – UCDP: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Matlhomola Jafta |
| Speaker | Gloria Leepo |
| Chief Whip | Keemeteng Francisco Ntwe |
| Other Council Members | – Kegomoditswe Badirwang (Exco) – Pontsho Mafethe (Exco) – Godsend Mokgope (Chairperson: MPAC) – Thabang Mothibedi – Thabo Motlapele (Exco) |
| Municipal Manager | Tebogo Chanda |
| Chief Financial Officer | Collen Tjale |
| Senior Management | Benjamin Sehole (Senior Manager: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | Lesego Metsi |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Ratlou Local Municipality.
- Disaneng
- Kraaipan
- Madibogo
- Setlagole
Contact details
The contact details of Ratlou Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X209, Madibogo, 2772 |
| Physical Address: | R507 Delareyville Road, Next to Setlagole Library, Setlagole Village |
| Telephone: | 018 330 7000 |
| Fax: | 018 330 7047 |
| Email: | info@ratlou.gov.za |
| Website: | www.ratlou.gov.za |
Corruption
In October 2023, a report unveiled numerous incidents of corruption in Ratlou Local Municipality, with the municipality accused of having paid millions of rands for the installation of dysfunctional water tanks, over R4 million for the construction of two roads which were never built, and over R3 million for a stadium that was never built.
