APPROVED IDP DOC 2011-16.BA PHALABORWA.pdf

A1. Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality: An Overview
SECTION A
Executive Summary
Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality is a Category B municipality established in terms of Section 155 of the
Constitution and strives to achieve the following objects of local government (as enshrined in Section
152 of the Constitution):
• To provide democratic and accountable government for local communities;
• To ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner;
• To promote social and economic development;
• To promote a safe and healthy environment; and
• To encourage the involvement of communities and community organisations in the matters of
local government.
The Municipality is situated in the North-Eastern part of South Africa in the Limpopo Province. It is one
of the five local municipalities in the Mopani District family of municipalities. It has a geographical area
of that constitutes 27% of the Mopani District. It serves as a convenient gateway to the
Kruger National Park and the Transfrontier Park through the Mozambique Channel.
A2. The Current Situation
The current municipal Council is the third since the establishment of transitional local councils in 1995.
The 1995 Council had 12 wards. Unlike the 2000 Council which had 14 wards and 28 councilors, the
current Council (inaugurated in 2006) has 16 Wards with 32 councilors. The current term of this Council
will expire in 2011. The new Council that will be inaugurated in 2011 will have 18 wards with 36
councillors, this after the addition of two wards from the existing 16 wards.
A3. Key Challenges and Opportunities
The Municipality has a developmental mandate to fulfill, but is currently threatened by the downscaling
of the mining sector (the main contributor to the local GDP). The mining sector is expected to shed jobs
in the near future as a result of Palabora Mining Company (PMC) stopping copper mining and the
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