Thabazimbi Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the southwestern region of the Waterberg District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Limpopo |
| District: | Waterberg |
| Municipal code: | LIM361 |
| Seat: | Thabazimbi |
| Number of wards: | 12 |
| Total area: | 11,190 km² (4,320 square miles) |
| Population: | 65,047 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | JEA Swanepoel (Tokkie) |
About
Thabazimbi Local Municipality is geographically located in the southwestern region of the Waterberg District Municipality, a mere 2-hour drive from Tshwane in Gauteng Province.
Thabazimbi is a Sotho-Nguni name meaning “iron ore mountain”. The early Bantu communities (Kalanga, Sotho, Nguni, Venda, and Nyasa) worked on this mountain to mine iron.
Thabazimbi Local Municipality covers an area of 11,190 km² (4,320 square miles) making it the second-largest local municipality in the Waterberg District.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Thabazimbi Local Municipality is in Thabazimbi.
The municipality is divided into 12 wards.
Thabazimbi Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Lephalale Local Municipality to the north and east
- Modimolle-Mookgophong and Bela-Bela Local Municipalities to the east
- Moretele, Madibeng, and Moses Kotane Local Municipalities in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in the North West Province to the south
- Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West Province to the west
- The Republic of Botswana to the west and north
Thabazimbi is known as the “mountain of iron” which is the Setswana name for this peaceful productive town, referring to the highly lucrative iron ore reef first discovered in the Municipality in 1919.
The Municipality has Marakele National Park, which is a subsidiary of the National Parks Board, and in the same standard as the Kruger National Park and Mapungube. The game lodges scattered around the area help to promote the issue of environmental sustainability.
The region has been mined since the 1930s when iron and steel production started. The town was proclaimed in 1953. Today Iscor Steelworks in Tshwane still draws much of its raw material from Thabazimbi Kumba Resources (Iron Ore mine).
Apart from Iron Ore, the Thabazimbi Local Municipality is surrounded by Platinum producing areas such as Northam Platinum mine, Anglo, i.e. Amandelbult and Swartklip mines.
Other minerals produced in the region include Andalusite, which is mined by Rhino Mine, and limestone for the production of cement by Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC).
The Thabazimbi municipal area is a very peaceful place to live in and a malaria-free municipality.
Agriculture has also proven to be a strong economic sector in the municipality. Agricultural commodities produced are beans, wheat, and maize.
The municipality’s goals are aligned with those of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy in Limpopo. This will ensure that the growth trajectory also addresses the objective of poverty eradication through job creation and business opportunity stimulation.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Thabazimbi Local Municipality has a population of 65,047 people, compared to 96,232 in 2016, and 85,234 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of -2.62%.
According to the 2022 Census, 20.7% of the population is under the age of 15, 73.7% is between 15 and 64, and 5.6% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 76.2% of the population in Thabazimbi Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 22.8% as White, 0.5% as Coloured, and 0.4% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 41.2% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 15.7% speak Afrikaans, 12.3% speak isiXhosa, 8% speak Sepedi, and 22.8% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of Thabazimbi Local Municipality are agriculture, mining, and tourism.
Agriculture
Thabazimbi Municipality area covers about 1,000,000ha in total land for farming. It entails about 2,000 farms and about 1,000 small holdings. Farming is divided into the following categories:
Irrigation
Irrigation covers about 15,000ha in total along the Crocodile and Marico Rivers.
The main crops are as follows:
Winter
- About 12ha of Wheat
Summer
- Cotton
- Maize
- Red Pepper
- Soya
- Sunflower
- Other Fruits & Vegetables (Watermelons, Pumpkins etc)
Dry Land Crop Production
Farming is found in the Northam and Dwaalboom areas and occupies about 4000ha in total. It is a very risky kind of Farming enterprise because of periodic droughts.
The main crops are as follows:
- Sorghum
- Sunflower
Cattle and Game Farming
About 50,000 head of cattle are found in the area. It is about 50% of the number 20 years ago More than 50% of Farms are Game Fenced.
Mining
There are still several unexploited mineral deposits in the Thabazimbi municipal area. The exploitation of these minerals currently depends on the market (demand) and viability of exploiting these minerals. The viability of exploiting these minerals also depends on future technology in the Mining Sector.
Mines in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality are;
| Group | Company | Mine | Mineral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anglo Platinum | Rustenburg Platinum Mines | Union Section | Platinum |
| Anglo Platinum | Rustenburg Platinum Mines | Amandelbult Section | Platinum |
| Goldfields | Northam Platinum Mine | Northam Platinum Mine | Platinum |
| Kumba Resources | Thabazimbi Iron Ore Mine | Thabazimbi Mine | Iron Ore |
| PPC | Dwaalboom Palygorskite | Cement | |
| Trollope Mining Services (TMS) | Rhino Andalusite Mine | Rhino Andalusite Mine | Andulisite |
Municipal council and management
The Thabazimbi municipal council is comprised of 23 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Twelve councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 12 wards, while the remaining 11 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 plurality of 11 seats.
NOTE: The municipality was dissolved due to dysfunctionality, and a full set of elections, ward, and PR, were held to elect a new council in December 2024.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 11 – DA: 4 – TRA: 3 – EFF: 2 – VF PLUS: 2 – TFSD: 1 |
| Controlling party | Hung Council and Coalition led |
| Executive Mayor | JEA Swanepoel (Tokkie) |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Butana Ben Tlhlabadira |
| Chief Whip | Catherine Sikwane |
| Other Council Members | – Frik Erasmus (Chairperson: MPAC) – Richard Kotsedi (Chairperson: Community Services, Infrastructure and Finance) – Themba Mkansi (Chairperson: Planning and Economic Development Committee) – Judith Mogapi (Chairperson: Institutional Development and Transformation Committee) |
| Municipal Manager | Rabelani Tshiswaise |
| Chief Financial Officer | Rapula Mogorosi |
| Senior Management | – Olindwaho Lithole (Acting Director: Planning and Economic Development) – David Moabelo (Acting Director: Community Services) – Lena Monawa-Lesotho (Acting Director: Strategic Support Services) – Elise Ndhlovu (Acting Director: Corporate Services) – Billy Tlhabadira (Acting Director: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | Joshua Motsomane (Manager: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in Thabazimbi Local Municipality.
- Amandelbult Mine Town
- Dwaalboom
- Leeupoort
- Northam
- Thabazimbi
- Rooiberg
Contact details
The contact details of Thabazimbi Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X530, Thabazimbi, 0380 |
| Physical Address: | 7 Rietbok Street, Thabazimbi, 0380 |
| Telephone: | 014 772 2295 |
| Fax: | 014 777 1531 |
| Website: | www.thabazimbi.gov.za |
