The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) is a Category C municipality situated in the northern region of the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | Limpopo |
| Municipal code: | DC34 |
| Seat: | Thohoyandou |
| Local municipalities: | 4 |
| Total area: | 25,596 km² (9,883 square miles) |
| Population: | 1,653,022 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Nkondo Tsakani Freda |
About
The Vhembe District Municipality was established in 2000. It is geographically situated in the northern parts of the Limpopo Province.
The word Vhembe means Limpopo River in the Venda language.
The District’s administrative headquarters/seat is in Thohoyandou.
The Vhembe District Municipality covers an area of 25,596 km² (9,883 square miles), making it the second-largest district in the Limpopo Province.
The District is divided into four local municipalities namely;
- Collins Chabane Local Municipality
- Makhado Local Municipality
- Musina Local Municipality
- Thulamela Local Municipality
The Vhembe District Municipality is bordered by Mopani District Municipality to the south, Capricorn District Municipality to the west and southwest, the Central District in the Republic of Botswana to the northwest, the Beitbridge District in the Republic of Zimbabwe to the north, and the Gaza Province in the Republic of Mozambique to the east through the Kruger National Park.
The Limpopo River valley forms the border between the Vhembe District and its international neighbours.
A legendary cultural hub and a catalyst for agricultural and tourism development, the Vhembe District Municipality is predominantly rural.
The Vhembe region is famed for its thousands of baobab trees, a source of much folklore and tourism icons in Limpopo Province.
The region is a gateway to the northern parts of the Kruger National Park.
History
Vhembe was originally occupied by tribes of Khoisan people and later by the Venda people, migrating from what is now Matabeleland south in Zimbabwe and today constitute a majority of the population in this area.
Around 1820 onwards, the Tsonga people started to invade areas in the southeastern part of Venda and today live in their majority in these areas known as Malamulele and Hlanganani. Thereafter, the Boer colonialists arrived in Vhembe at around 1836.
During the apartheid era, the Bantustan of Venda (declared independent in 1979) was established in the eastern part of the Vhembe area and was reintegrated into the country in 1994.
The former Bantustan capital, Thohoyandou (named after a chief who had led the expansion of the Venda Empire in the 18th century) is the current capital of the Vhembe District Municipality.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the Vhembe District Municipality has a population of 1,653,022 residents, compared to 1,393,949 in 2016, and 1,294,722 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 2.37%.
According to the 2022 Census, 32.3% of the population is under the age of 15, 61.2% is between 15 and 64, and 6.5% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 98.7% of the Vhembe District Municipality population describe themselves as Black African, 0.8% as White, 0.4% as Indian/Asian, and 0.2% as Coloured.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 67.2% of the population speaks Tshivenḓa as their first language, 24.8% speak Xitsonga, 1.6% speak Sepedi, 1.3% speak Afrikaans, and 5.1% speak other languages.
Economy
The district’s main economic sectors are mining, finance, and community services.
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 20 – EFF: 2 – DA: 1 – PAC: 1 |
| Controlling Party | n/a |
| Executive Mayor | Nkondo Tsakani Freda |
| Speaker | Nenguda Dowelani Alton |
| Chief Whip | Mihloti Mhlophe Ethel |
| Other Council Members | – T.J Bila (Portfolio: Economic Development) – M.G Chauke (Portfolio: Budget and Treasury) – A.V Kotane – R.G Machovani – P Mamedzi – N.R Mathukha (Portfolio: Community Services) – A Mudunungu – T Mundalamo – S Munyai (Portfolio: Technical Services) – T.S Padelani – S.M Sinyosi (Portfolio: Community Services) – A.S Tshifhango |
| Municipal Manager | Zwannda Norman Kutama |
| Chief Financial Officer | M Thangavhuyelelo |
| Senior Management | – M Mukoma (General Manager: Community Services) – C Tshikovha (General Manager: Corporate Services) – M Tshivhinda (General Manager: Planning Department) |
| Communications Officers | Matodzi Ralushai |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the Vhembe District Municipality.
- Makhado
- Malamulele
- Musina
- Thohoyandou
Contact details
The contact details of the Vhembe District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X5006, Thohoyandou, 0950 |
| Physical address: | Old Parliament Government Complex, Tusk Venda Street, Thohoyandou, Limpopo |
| Telephone: | 015 960 2000 |
| Fax: | 015 962 1017 |
| Email: | enqueries@vhembe.gov.za |
| Website: | www.vhembe.gov.za |
| Makhado Fire Station: | 015 516 5588 |
| Muledane Fire Station: | 015 962 4155 |
| Vuwani Fire Station: | 015 961 6944 / 015 961 6916 |
| Mutale Fire Station: | 015 967 0121 / 015 967 0123 |
| Musina fire station: | 015 534 0270 |
| Xigalo Fire Station: | 015 851 6079 |
