Matjhabeng Local Municipality
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Matjhabeng
| official_name =
| other_name =
| native_name =
| settlement_type = Local municipality
| image_seal = Matjhabeng_CoA.png
| seal_size = 150x100px
| image_map = Map of the Free State with Matjhabeng highlighted.svg
| mapsize =
| map_alt = Location in the Free State
| map_caption = Location in the Free State
|coordinates = {{coord|27|58|S|26|44|E|region:ZA-FS_type:adm2nd_source:kolossus-dewiki |display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = South Africa
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Free State
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Lejweleputswa
| seat = Welkom
| parts_type = Wards
|parts = 36
| government_type = Municipal council
| leader_party = ANC
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Thanduxolo Khalipha{{Cite web|last=Lethoba|first=Thomas|date=2021-11-29|title=Matjhabeng council appoints new mayor, welcome Thanduxolo Khalipa!|url=https://kasivoicenews.co.za/blog/2021/11/29/matjhabeng-council-new-mayor-welcome-thanduxolo-khalipa/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Kasi Voice News|language=en-US}}
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 5155
| population_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/free_state/FS184__matjhabeng/ |title=Statistics by place |publisher=Statistics South Africa |access-date=17 February 2025}}
| population_total = 439034
| population_as_of = 2022
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup {{nobold|(2022)}}
| demographics1_title1 = {{nobold|Black African}}
| demographics1_info1 = 88.1%
| demographics1_title2 = {{nobold|Coloured}}
| demographics1_info2 = 2.3%
| demographics1_title3 = {{nobold|Indian/Asian}}
| demographics1_info3 = 0.5%
| demographics1_title4 = {{nobold|White}}
| demographics1_info4 = 9.0%
| demographics_type2 = First languages {{nobold|(2011)}}
| demographics2_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=964 |title=Statistics by place |publisher=Statistics South Africa |access-date=27 September 2015}}
| demographics2_title1 = {{nobold|Sotho}}
| demographics2_info1 = 64.0%
| demographics2_title2 = {{nobold|Xhosa}}
| demographics2_info2 = 12.3%
| demographics2_title3 = {{nobold|Afrikaans}}
| demographics2_info3 = 12.3%
| demographics2_title4 = {{nobold|English}}
| demographics2_info4 = 3.6%
| demographics2_title5 = {{nobold|Other}}
| demographics2_info5 = 7.8%
| timezone1 = SAST
| utc_offset1 = +2
| blank_name_sec1 = Municipal code
| blank_info_sec1 = FS184
| footnotes =
}}
Matjhabeng Municipality ({{langx|st|Masepala wa Matjhabeng}}; {{langx|xh|uMasipala wase Matjhabeng}}; {{langx|af|Matjhabeng Munisipaliteit}}) is a local municipality within the Lejweleputswa District Municipality, in the Free State province of South Africa. The municipality includes Welkom, Virginia, Odendaalsrus and Allanridge.{{cite news |last1=Seleka |first1=Ntwaagae |title=Matjhabeng municipality: Rampant looting, illegal mining and theft could wipe out ailing entity |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/matjhabeng-municipality-rampant-looting-illegal-mining-and-theft-could-wipe-out-ailing-entity-20210905 |access-date=16 September 2021 |agency=News24 |publisher=news24.com |date=5 September 2021}} Matjhabeng is a Sesotho word meaning "where nations meet". It is derived from the migrant labour system where people from various countries like Lesotho, Mozambique, etc. met to work in the mines.[http://www.salanguages.com/munnames.htm South African Languages - Place names]
Geography
The municipality covers an area of {{convert|5155|km2}} in the goldfields of the central Free State, north of Bloemfontein and south of Kroonstad. According to the 2011 census it has a population of 406,461 people in 123,195 households. Of this population, 88% describe themselves as "Black African", 10% as "White", and 2% as "Coloured". The first language of 64% of the population is Sotho, while 12% speak Xhosa, 12% speak Afrikaans and 4% speak English.{{Cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467 |title=Matjhabeng Local Municipality |work=Census 2011}}
In the western part of the municipality there is a string of mining towns that runs from northwest to southeast: Allanridge (pop. 19,337Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467001 Allanridge] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467002 Phathakahle] from Census 2011.), Odendaalsrus (pop. 63,743Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467004 Odendaalsrus] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467005 Kutlwanong] from Census 2011.), Welkom (pop. 211,011Sum of the following Main Places from Census 2011: [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467008 Hani Park], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467006 Riebeeckstad], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467007 Thabong], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467009 Welkom].) and Virginia (pop. 66,208Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467010 Virginia] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467011 Meloding] from Census 2011.). Further to the east are the agricultural towns of Hennenman (pop. 24,355Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467012 Hennenman] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467014 Phomolong] from Census 2011.) and Ventersburg (pop. 11,260Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467015 Ventersburg], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467016 Mmamahabane] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/467017 Tswelangpele] from Census 2011.).
Politics
{{Main|Matjhabeng Local Municipality elections}}
The municipal council consists of seventy-two members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirty-six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-six wards, while the remaining thirty-six are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
In the 2021 South African municipal elections the African National Congress (ANC) won a reduced majority of thirty-nine seats on the council.
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.{{Cite web |title=Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Matjhabeng |url=https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/FS184 |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=wikitable.frith.dev}}
{{Election results
|firstround=Ward |secondround=List
|party1=African National Congress |votes1=46035 |votes1_2=46605 |seats1=28 |seats1_2=11 |totseats1=39
|party2=Democratic Alliance |votes2=18785 |votes2_2=18869 |seats2=8 |seats2_2=8 |totseats2=16
|party3=Economic Freedom Fighters |votes3=9906 |votes3_2=10093 |seats3=0 |seats3_2=9 |totseats3=9
|party4=Freedom Front Plus |votes4=2720 |votes4_2=2614 |seats4=0 |seats4_2=2 |totseats4=2
|party5=African Democratic Change |votes5=2113 |votes5_2=2154 |seats5=0 |seats5_2=2 |totseats5=2
|party6=Independent South African National Civic Organisation |votes6=1801 |votes6_2=1770 |seats6=0 |seats6_2=2 |totseats6=2
|party7=Independent candidates |votes7=2078 |votes7_2= |seats7=0 |seats7_2= |totseats7=0
|party8=African Transformation Movement |votes8=729 |votes8_2=705 |seats8=0 |seats8_2=1 |totseats8=1
|party9=Congress of the People |votes9=424 |votes9_2=693 |seats9=0 |seats9_2=1 |totseats9=1
|party10=10 other parties |votes10=2129 |votes10_2=2989 |seats10=0 |seats10_2=0 |totseats10=0
|invalid=1259 |invalid2=1259
|electorate=197853 |electorate2=197853
}}
=Corruption and mismanagement=
In 2011 the municipality was described by media as one of the worst-run municipalities in the country. In about four years about R2 billion went missing.{{cite news |last1=Wa Afrika |first1=Mzilikazi |last2=Hofstatter |first2=Stephan |title=How a small town blew R2bn on dodgy deals |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2011-06-12-how-a-small-town-blew-r2bn-on-dodgy-deals/ |access-date=16 September 2021 |work=South Africa |agency=TimesLive |publisher=timeslive.co.za |date=12 June 2011}} An enquiry led by the MEC Mosebenzi Zwane blamed the losses on the municipal manager Ben Malakoane and his predecessor Thabo Pietersen. Zwane's report slated Malakoane as "grossly negligent", "undermining the rule of law" and engaging in contracts "without due process", but premier Ace Magashule referred to the duo as his "comrades". In 2021 five municipality officials were arrested by the Hawks after over R1 million of municipal funds was allegedly misspent.{{cite news |last1=Maroela redaksie |title=Valke trek vyf vas vir munisipale bedrog |url=https://maroelamedia.co.za/nuus/sa-nuus/valke-trek-vyf-vas-vir-munisipale-bedrog/ |access-date=25 March 2021 |publisher=Maroela Media |date=23 March 2021}} One of the accused was involved in appointing the remaining accused as municipal officials.
In October 2024, the Free State High Court found that the municipality had violated the constitution by failing to deliver essential services and issued a declaratory order. The municipality appealed, but this was rejected in March 2025.{{Cite web |last=Seeletsa |first=Molefe |date=2025-05-16 |title=Matjhabeng municipality's appeal rejected amid financial challenges, service delivery collapse |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/courts/matjhabeng-municipality-appeal-da-free-state/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=The Citizen |language=en}}
In June 2025, the municipality and its acting municipal manager Thabo Panyani were found guilty of contempt of court and fined R250,000 for repeatedly failing to address sewage spillage issues.{{Cite web |last=Sidimba |first=Loyiso |date= |title=Matjhabeng Municipality fined R250,000 for contempt of court over sewage spill |url=https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-06-13-matjhabeng-municipality-fined-r250000-for-contempt-of-court-over-sewage-spill/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |website=IOL |language=en}}
Socioeconomic issues
The municipality experiences high unemployment which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2021, about 150,000 adults are unemployed. Some 10 gold mines closed their shafts, and suppliers of these mines closed shop. Crime has increased in its towns and townships, especially in Meloding, Virginia, Thabong and Welkom. The reported crimes include theft and vandalism of municipal property and infrastructure, besides illegal mining by zama zamas, costly cable theft, theft of fencing material and vandalism of cemeteries.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.matjhabengmunicipality.za/ Official website]
{{Lejweleputswa District Municipality}}
{{Municipalities of the Free State}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Local municipalities of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality