The ZF Mgcawu District Municipality (previously known as Siyanda District Municipality) is a Category C municipality situated in the mid-northern region of the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
ZF Mgcawu District Municipality
| Type of municipality: | District (Category C) |
| Province: | Northern Cape |
| Municipal code: | DC8 |
| Seat: | Upington |
| Local municipalities: | 5 |
| Total area: | 102,484 km² (39,569 square miles) |
| Population: | 283,624 (in 2022) |
| Executive mayor: | Maureen Catherine Basson |
About
The ZF Mgcawu District Municipality is geographically situated in the mid-northern part of the Northern Cape province and has its headquarters/seat in the town of Upington.
The District is named after the late Zwelentlanga Fatman Mgcawu, Upington’s first black post-1994 democratically elected mayor.
The ZF Mgcawu District Municipality covers an area of 102,484 km² (39,569 square miles) making up just under a third of the province’s geographical area, of which 65 000km² comprise the extensive Kalahari Desert, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and the former Bushmanland.
ZF Mgcawu is the third-largest District Municipality in the Northern Cape province and South Africa at large.
The District comprises the arid and sparsely populated central part of the country.
The District is divided into five local municipalities namely;
- !Kheis Local Municipality
- Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality
- Kai !Garib Local Municipality
- Kgatelopele Local Municipality
- Tsantsabane Local Municipality
The ZF Mgcawu District Municipality is bordered by District Municipalities John Taolo Gaetsewe to the northeast, Frances Baard to the east, Pixley ka Seme to the southeast, Namakwa to the southwest, the Republic of Namibia to the west, and the Republic of Botswana to the north.
Major National Roads (N10 and N14) traverse the district. Traffic flows through the region, linking the country’s major industrial areas.
The District has two airports, the Upington Airport in Upington and Sishen Airport in Sishen the area known for being the iron ore capital of the Northern Cape.
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality has a population of 283,624 residents, compared to 252,692 in 2016, and 236,783 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 1.75%.
According to the 2022 Census, 26.8% of the population is under the age of 15, 67.3% is between 15 and 64, and 5.9% is over 65.
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 60.4% of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality population describe themselves as Coloured, 29.4% as Black African, 8.2% as White, and 0.7% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, 76.4% of the population speaks Afrikaans as their first language, 15.8% Setswana, 2.7% speak isiXhosa, 1.8% speak English, and 3.3% speak other languages.
Economy
The District’s main economic sectors are tourism, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
District council and management
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 11 – DA: 7 – EFF: 2 – HOPE FOR THE FUTURE (HFTF): 2 – KHOISAN REVOLUTION (KSR): 1 |
| Controlling Party | Coalition Council |
| Executive Mayor | Maureen Catherine Basson (Executive Mayor and Chairperson: Municipal Finance Viability) |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | n/a |
| Speaker | Stanley Peterson |
| Chief Whip | Joseph Silo (Chairperson: Good Governance and Public Participation) |
| Other Council Members | – A Johnson (Chairperson: Institutional Development) – A Matshimo (Chairperson: Social Economic Development) – P.H Matthys (Chairperson: MPAC) – P.M Mgcera (Chairperson: Service Delivery) |
| Municipal Manager | Alfred Kevin Tieties (Acting) |
| Chief Financial Officer | E Isaacs |
| Senior Management | – I de Waal (Director: Planning and Development) – D.J van Zyl (Director: Corporate Services) |
| Communications Officers | Martha Clarke |
Towns/places
Below are the towns/places in the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality.
- Beeshoek
- Brandboom
- Danielskuil
- Eksteenskuil
- Groblershoop
- Kakamas
- Keimoes
- Kenhardt
- Lime Acres
- Mier
- Postmasburg
- Rietfontein
- Upington
Contact details
The contact details of the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | Private Bag X6039, Upington, 8800 |
| Physical address: | Cnr Nelson Mandela Avenue & Upington 26 Road, Upington |
| Telephone: | 054 337 2800 |
| Fax: | 054 337 2888 |
| Email: | customercare@zfm-dm.gov.za |
| Website: | www.zfm-dm.gov.za |
| Anti-fraud & corruption: | – 054 337 2820 – 080 070 1701 |
