The Tokologo Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the western region of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Local Municipality (Category B) |
| MIIF classification: | B3 (small towns) |
| Province: | Free State |
| District: | Lejweleputswa |
| Municipal code: | FS182 |
| Seat: | Boshof |
| Number of wards: | 4 |
| Total area: | 9,326 km² (3,601 square miles) |
| Population: | 29,455 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Boitumelo Enoch Seakge |
About
Tokologo Local Municipality was established in terms of Section 14 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, Act No 117 of 1998, and was published in Provincial Gazette No 109 dated 28 September 2000. It is a plenary municipality.
The municipality consists of three former Transitional Local Councils, namely Boshof, Hertzogville, and Dealesville, as well as a portion of a former Transitional Rural Council (Moddervaal), which consists of approximately 1,480 farms.
Tokologo Local Municipality is geographically located in the western region of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality and it is one of five municipalities in the district.
The name Tokologo is a Setswana word meaning “freedom”. It comes from the relentless struggle of the oppressed people culminating in their freedom on 27 April 1994.
Tokologo Local Municipality covers an area of 9,326 km² (3,601 square miles), making it the largest local municipality in the Lejweleputswa District, as it accounts for almost a third of its geographical area. Approximately 84% of the municipal area has remained as a natural habitat.
The administrative headquarters/seat of Tokologo Local Municipality is in Boshof.
The municipality is divided into 4 wards.
Tokologo Local Municipality is bordered by:
- Tswelopele and Masilonyana Local Municipalities to the east
- Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to the southeast
- Letsemeng Local Municipality in the Xhariep District Municipality to the south
- Sol Plaatje and Magareng Local Municipalities in the Frances Baard District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province to the west
- Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality in the North West Province to the north
There are no protected areas or Ramsar sites in Tokologo Local Municipality.
Grassland (43.68%), Savanna (51.21%), and Nama-Karoo (5.11%) are the three biomes in the municipality.
Tokologo Local Municipality is home to eight vegetation types.
There is one endangered ecosystem in Tokologo Local Municipality, namely Vaal-Vet Sandy Grassland, covering about 7.6% of the municipal area.
The Freshwater Ecosystems in the municipality are characterized by three water management areas, namely Lower Vaal, Middle Vaal, and Upper Orange.
Three rivers run through the municipality, namely the Modder, Kaalspruit, and Vaal Rivers.
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, Tokologo Local Municipality has a population of 29,455 people, compared to 29,149 in 2016 and 28,986 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 0.16%.
According to the 2022 Census, 30% of the population is under the age of 15, 62.9% is between 15 and 64, and 7.1% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 84.5% of the population in Masilonyana Local Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 9.9% as White, 4.6% as Coloured, and 0.7% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 57.3% of the population speaks Setswana as their first language, 18.7% speak Afrikaans, 10.9% speak isiXhosa, 8.5% speak Sesotho, and 4.6% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sector of Tokologo Local Municipality is agriculture.
Municipal council and management
The municipality is under S139 administration, effective from June 2022.
The Tokologo municipal council is comprised of 8 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 4 wards, while the remaining 4 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
In the elections of 1 November 2021, the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of 8 seats on the council.
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 8 – DA: 2 – EFF: 2 – VF PLUS: 1 |
| Controlling party | ANC |
| Executive Mayor | Boitumelo Enoch Seakge |
| Speaker | Mathe Gaebee |
| Chief Whip | Koba Magomo |
| Other Council Members | n/a |
| Municipal Manager | C.L Tlhokwe |
| Chief Financial Officer | T.D Matile |
| Senior Management | – Mosioua Khathola (Manager: Municipal Manager’s Office) – Moeketsi Matlakala (Supply Chain Manager) – Soul Mokale (Acting Admin and Support Manager) – Molefi Moloele (Community Services Manager) – Tsholofelo Morena-Saul (Human Resources Manager) – KJ Motlhale – Masoabi Mphirime (Unit Manager: Dealesville) – Vusi Mvundle (Manager: Mayor’s Office) – Mamerafe Nkokoana (LED Manager) – Mpho Sehloho (Director: Technical Services) – Segomotso Sereetsi (Unit Manager: Hertzogville) – Caswell Tlhokwe (Director: Corporate Services) – Nokwaliwa Tyindyi (Acting Revenue Manager) |
| Communications Officers | Mpho Tokologo |
Towns/places
Boshof (the capital town) is situated in the centre of the municipality, Hertzogville is situated in the north while Dealesville is further east of the municipal area.
Below are the towns/places in Tokologo Local Municipality.
- Boshof
- Dealesville
- Hertzogville
Contact details
The contact details of Tokologo Local Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X46, Boshoff, 8340 |
| Physical Address: | Market Square, Voortrekker Street, Boshoff |
| Telephone: | 053 541 0014 |
| Fax: | 053 541 0360 |
| Email: | info@tokologo-municipality.co.za |
| Website: | www.tokologo.gov.za |
Maladministration
As of January 2024, Tokologo Local Municipality is under administration, one of 32 in the country, and three in the Free State, where the provincial executive has intervened due to maladministration.
