Matjhabeng Local Municipality

Matjhabeng Municipality (Sotho: Masepala wa Matjhabeng; Xhosa: uMasipala wase Matjhabeng; Afrikaans: 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.^[5] 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.^[6]

Matjhabeng
Local municipality
Seal
Location in the Free State
Coordinates: 27°58′S 26°44′E
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
District	Lejweleputswa
Seat	Welkom
Wards	36
Government [1]
• Type	Municipal council
• Mayor	Thanduxolo Khalipha[2] (ANC)
Area
• Total	5,155 km2 (1,990 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[3]
• Total	439,034
• Density	85/km2 (220/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2022) [4]
• Black African	88.1%
• Coloured	2.3%
• Indian/Asian	0.5%
• White	9.0%
First languages (2011) [4]
• Sotho	64.0%
• Xhosa	12.3%
• Afrikaans	12.3%
• English	3.6%
• Other	7.8%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal code	FS184

Geography

The municipality covers an area of 5,155 square kilometres (1,990 sq mi) 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.^[7]

In the western part of the municipality there is a string of mining towns that runs from northwest to southeast: Allanridge (pop. 19,337^[8]), Odendaalsrus (pop. 63,743^[9]), Welkom (pop. 211,011^[10]) and Virginia (pop. 66,208^[11]). Further to the east are the agricultural towns of Hennenman (pop. 24,355^[12]) and Ventersburg (pop. 11,260^[13]).

Politics

Main article: 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.^[14]

Party		Ward			List			Total seats
		Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	African National Congress	46,035	53.08	28	46,605	53.88	11	39
	Democratic Alliance	18,785	21.66	8	18,869	21.82	8	16
	Economic Freedom Fighters	9,906	11.42	0	10,093	11.67	9	9
	Freedom Front Plus	2,720	3.14	0	2,614	3.02	2	2
	African Democratic Change	2,113	2.44	0	2,154	2.49	2	2
	Independent South African National Civic Organisation	1,801	2.08	0	1,770	2.05	2	2
	Independent candidates	2,078	2.40	0				0
	African Transformation Movement	729	0.84	0	705	0.82	1	1
	Congress of the People	424	0.49	0	693	0.80	1	1
	10 other parties	2,129	2.46	0	2,989	3.46	0	0
Total		86,720	100.00	36	86,492	100.00	36	72
Valid votes		86,720	98.57		86,492	98.57
Invalid/blank votes		1,259	1.43		1,259	1.43
Total votes		87,979	100.00		87,751	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		197,853	44.47		197,853	44.35

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.^[15] 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".^[15] In 2021 five municipality officials were arrested by the Hawks after over R1 million of municipal funds was allegedly misspent.^[16] 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.^[17]

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.^[18]

Socioeconomic issues

The municipality experiences high unemployment which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5] 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.^[5]

Corruption

On 28 July 2025, the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, revealed that Matjhabeng's expanded public works programme salaries were being used to fund former councillors and political office bearers.^[19][20][21]