Polokwane Local Municipality

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Polokwane
Local municipality
Official seal of Polokwane
Seal
Location of Polokwane Local Municipality within Limpopo
Location of Polokwane Local Municipality within Limpopo
Coordinates: 23°54′S 29°26′E / 23.900°S 29.433°E / -23.900; 29.433Coordinates: 23°54′S 29°26′E / 23.900°S 29.433°E / -23.900; 29.433
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceLimpopo
DistrictCapricorn
SeatPolokwane
Wards38
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorThembi Nkadimeng
Area
 • Total3,766 km2 (1,454 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total628,999
 • Density170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[2]
 • Black African92.9%
 • Coloured0.9%
 • Indian/Asian0.7%
 • White5.2%
First languages (2011)
[2]
 • Northern Sotho80.4%
 • Afrikaans5.4%
 • English3.2%
 • Tsonga2.8%
 • Other8.2%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeLIM354

The Polokwane Local Municipality (or simply Polokwane Municipality) is a local municipality located within the Capricorn District in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It shares its name with the city of Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg).

Polokwane Municipality accounts for 3% of the total surface area of Limpopo; however, over 10% of the population of Limpopo resides within its boundaries. The Municipality serves as the economic hub of Limpopo and has the highest population density in the Capricorn district. In terms of its physical composition Polokwane Municipality is 23% urbanised and 71% rural.[3] The largest sector of the community within the municipality resides in rural tribal villages, followed by urban settlements.

Cities and settlements[]

The municipal spatial pattern reflects that of the historic apartheid city model, characterised by segregated settlement. At the centre of the area is the Polokwane economic hub, which comprises the central business district, industrial area, and a range of social services and well-established formal urban areas servicing the more affluent residents of Polokwane.

Situated on the outskirts in several clusters are less formal settlement areas, which are experiencing enormous influx from rural urban migration trends. These areas are in dire need of upgraded services and infrastructure, both social and engineering, and are struggling to cope with the informal influx of more and more people who want access to an improved quality and standard of living.[3]

Main places[]

The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[4]

Place Code Area (km2) Population
91201 178.93 38,474
91202 169.79 39,966
91203 79.32 13,351
91204 2.12 1,667
91205 75.62 10,795
91206 1.03 906
91207 117.97 37,996
Mankweng 91208 4.42 11,592
91209 97.62 0
91210 1.57 2,336
91211 286.00 32,707
91212 467.13 103,082
91213 0.87 1,019
91214 11.44 15,275
Pietersburg Part 1 91215 128.51 62,089
Pietersburg Part 2 91222 38.44 4,132
Seshego Part 1 91217 21.42 71,290
Seshego Part 2 91223 12.41 548
91218 6.05 5,799
91219 162.63 31,694
Turfloop 91220 1.82 3,189
Remainder of the municipality 91216 1,910.06 20,352

Politics[]

The municipal council consists of ninety members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Forty-five councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in forty-five wards, while the remaining forty-five are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 3 August 2016 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of fifty-two seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the election:[5][6]

Party Votes Seats
Ward List Total % Ward List Total
ANC 92,434 92,549 184,983 57.2 40 12 52
EFF 45,463 45,838 91,301 28.2 1 25 26
Democratic Alliance 17,872 17,651 35,523 11.0 4 6 10
Freedom Front Plus 1,407 1,398 2,805 0.9 0 1 1
COPE 933 831 1,764 0.5 0 1 1
Independent 867 – 867 0.3 0 – 0
Others 2,834 3,527 6,361 2.0 0 0 0
Total 161,810 161,794 323,604 100.0 45 45 90
Spoilt votes 2,519 2,541 5,060

In a by-election held on 9 November 2016, a ward previously held by an ANC councillor was won by the EFF candidate.[7] Council composition was reconfigured as seen below:

Party Ward PR list Total
ANC 39 12 51
EFF 2 25 27
Democratic Alliance 4 6 10
COPE 0 1 1
Freedom Front Plus 0 1 1
Total 45 45 90

Demographics[]

As of 2007, the Polokwane Local Municipality was home to approximately 561,772 people. Growth figures from 1996 to 2001 showed that the municipal population increased by about 3.27% per year on average. Much of this growth is ascribed to an influx of people from other, more rural, municipal areas into Polokwane, where the perception of more employment and greater economic wealth exists.[3]

79% of its households are using electricity for lighting, 62% for cooking, and 58% for heating.[8]

In 2007, 94.1% of the population was Black African, 4.8% White, 1.1% Coloured, Indian or Asian.[3]

Racial groups[]

Year Total population Percent Black Percent White Percentage Other (mostly Coloured or Asian)
2001 508,277 92.41% 6.1% 1.49%
2007 561,772 Increase 94.1% Increase 4.8% Decrease 1.1% Decrease

Education[]

The Turfloop campus of the University of Limpopo is located in Mankweng and the Tshwane University of Technology has a satellite campus in Polokwane.

Although the municipality's overall level of education has improved slightly in recent years, only 24% of the population have attained a Grade 12 education, and only 5.7% have achieved a tertiary education qualification. As a result of low education levels and a largely unskilled population, large numbers of residents earn very little or no income, and poverty is a major problem in the municipal area.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e "2007-08 Annual Report" (PDF). www.polokwane.org.za. Retrieved 10-4-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa[dead link]
  5. ^ "Results Summary – All Ballots: Polokwane" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Seat Calculation Detail: Polokwane" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  7. ^ "EFF takes Polokwane ward from ANC". TimesLive. 10 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Community Survey, 2007 - Basic Results: Municipalities" (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-25. Retrieved 10-4-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

External links[]

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