The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality (TMDM) is a Category C municipality situated in the eastern region of the Free State province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | Free State |
| Municipal code: | DC19 |
| Seat: | Phuthaditjhaba |
| Local municipalities: | 6 |
| Total area: | 32,734 km² (12,639 square miles) |
| Population: | 831,421 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Conny Msibi |
About
The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality is geographically situated in the eastern part of the Free State Province. The District is a semi-arid region with a dispersed settlement pattern.
It is named after Edwin Thabo Mofutsanyana, a stalwart of the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA).
The District covers an area of 32,734 km² (12,639 square miles), making up almost a third of the geographical area of the Free State Province.
The District headquarters/seat is in Phuthaditjhaba.
Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality was established on Thursday 28 September 2000.
Later in 2011, the municipal boundaries were altered when the District and Motheo District Municipality were de-established.
Parts of Motheo now form part of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality was by the same notice re-established, to now include Mantsopa, which was part of Motheo as one of its local municipalities.
A typical rural district with 24 small towns, the District is divided into six local municipalities namely;
- Dihlabeng Local Municipality
- Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality
- Mantsopa Local Municipality
- Nketoana Local Municipality
- Phumelela Local Municipality
- Setsoto Local Municipality
The Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality is bordered by;
- Fezile Dabi District Municipality to the north
- Lejweleputswa District Municipality to the west
- Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to the southwest
- The country of Lesotho to the south
- uThukela District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal to the southeast
- Amajuba District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal to the east
- Gert Sibande District Municipality in Mpumalanga to the northeast
The eastern parts of Free State, are a scenic area, well known for several tourist attractions and feature a variety of annual festivals.
The Golden Gate Highlands National Park which is situated on the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains is the biggest tourist attraction in the District and it is home to a variety of animals like the springbok, wildebeest, oribi, blesbok, and the common eland/eland antelope.
Thabo Mofutsanyana is highly accessible to other Districts and Provinces via the N3 and N5 National Routes.
The N3 which links the Gauteng Province with the KwaZulu-Natal Province, passes Warden and Harrismith in the northeastern part of the District.
Despite all the socio-economic challenges facing this district, the area has huge potential for tourism development because of its scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality has a population of 831,421 people, compared to 779,330 in 2016, and 735,679 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.19%.
According to the 2022 Census, 27.9% of the population is under the age of 15, 65.3% is between 15 and 64, and 6.8% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 93.8% of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality population describe themselves as Black African, 4.8% as White, 0.8% as Coloured, and 0.4% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 78.5% of the population speaks Sesotho as their first language, 10.4% speak isiZulu, 6% speak Afrikaans, 2% speak English, and 3.1% speak other languages.
Economy
The district’s main economic sectors are tourism and agriculture.
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 7 – MAP16: 2 – DA: 2 – SSDF: 1 – EFF: 1 |
| Controlling Party | n/a |
| Executive Mayor | Conny Msibi |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Thabo Mokoena |
| Chief Whip | Lindiwe Makhalema |
| Other Council Members | – Annah Fume (MMC: IDP) – Thembinkosi Mahlambi (MMC: Infrastructure) – Thandi Masiteng (MMC: Corporate Services) – Mosia Mokuane (MMC: Finance) – Malefu Vilakazi (MMC: Community Services) – Sylvia Visagie (MMC: LED and Tourism) |
| Municipal Manager | Takatso Lebenya |
| Chief Financial Officer | Noloiso Gqoli |
| Senior Management | – Samuel Khote (Director: Corporate Services) – Selby Lengoabala (Director: Community Service) – Thembi Mlotha (Manager: LED) – Bernard Mphahlele (Manager: Technical Services) |
| Communications Officers | Mamogolo Moshugi (Manager: Communications) |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality.
- Arlington
- Bethlehem
- Clarens
- Clocolan
- Excelsior
- Ficksburg
- Fouriesburg
- Golden Gate Highlands National Park
- Harrismith
- Hobhouse
- Kestell
- Ladybrand
- Lindley
- Marquard
- Memel
- Paul Roux
- Petrus Steyn
- Phuthaditjhaba
- Reitz
- Rosendal
- Senekal
- Thaba Patchoa
- Tweespruit
- Vrede
- Warden
Contact details
The contact details of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X810, Witsieshoek, 9870 |
| Physical address: | 1 Mampoi Street, Old Parliament Building, Phuthaditjhaba |
| Telephone: | 058 718 1000 / 058 713 4485 |
| Fax: | 058 713 0940 |
| Website: | www.thabomofutsanyana.gov.za |
