Lephalale Local Municipality lies in the far west of Limpopo’s Waterberg District, with 125,198 people counted in the 2022 census across 13,794 km² — the largest local municipality in the district by area. The seat is Lephalale town, formerly known as Ellisras.
Lephalale sits on South Africa’s largest coal reserve, and the town’s growth has tracked the mining and power-generation industry built around it since the 1980s.
Towns and Villages in Lephalale
| Place | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lephalale | Seat | Pop. 21,133; former Ellisras |
| Marapong | Township | Pop. 31,424; Matimba power-station township |
| Onverwacht | Town | Adjoins Lephalale town |
| Thabo Mbeki | Township | Pop. 2,700 |
| Steenbokpan | Village | West toward the Botswana border |
Smaller settlements recorded across the municipality:
- Abbotspoort
- Bangalong
- Beauty
- Bossche-Diesch
- Bulge River
- Ga-Maeleletja
- Ga-Monyeki
- Ga-Seleka
- Groblersbrug
- Hardekraaltjie
- Hoopdal
- Kauletsi
- Kokstad
- Kransberg
- Kremetartpan
- KwaMadibaneng
- KwaTshelamfake
- Marnitz
- Melkrivier
- Mmatladi
- Mokurwanyane
- Ons Hoop
- Overyssel
- Ramabaras-kraal
- Sandbult
- Setateng
- Strydomsdrift
- Theunispan
- Tom Burke
- Vaalwater
- Villa Nora
- Woudend
Geography
Lephalale spans dry bushveld and mopane woodland toward the Botswana border at Groblersbrug, with the Mokolo and Lephalale rivers draining the district. Marakele National Park’s northern reaches touch the municipality’s east. It borders Thabazimbi, Mogalakwena and Modimolle–Mookgophong within Waterberg District, and Botswana across the Limpopo River to the north.
Demographics
The population rose from 118,864 in the 2011 census to 125,198 in 2022, driven largely by workers drawn to Marapong and Onverwacht for mining and power-station jobs. Northern Sotho and Afrikaans are the leading home languages, with a growing English- and Zulu-speaking population tied to the power-station workforce, many of whom relocated from other provinces during Medupi’s construction and stayed on for permanent operating jobs at the completed power stations and coal mine, adding to the town’s original farming-based population.
Economy and Local Life
Coal mining dominates the economy: the Grootegeluk mine supplies Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi power stations directly at Lephalale, making the municipality one of Limpopo’s largest electricity- and coal-producing areas. Game farming and hunting tourism cover much of the surrounding bushveld, and cattle ranching continues on the drier western farms toward the Botswana border.
Marapong township grew specifically to house workers at the Matimba and Medupi power stations, and its population now outnumbers Lephalale town itself. Medupi, commissioned in stages through the 2010s, is one of the largest coal-fired power stations in the world, and its construction and operation have made mining and energy the single largest source of formal jobs in the municipality, ahead of farming and tourism combined.
History
The town was established in the early 20th century as Ellisras, a farming settlement named for two local families, before it was renamed Lephalale after South Africa’s democratic transition. Coal was discovered in the area decades before mining began at scale, and Eskom’s decision to build Matimba and later Medupi power stations here transformed what had been a small farming town into one of Limpopo’s largest energy-industry hubs. The municipality took its current form in 2000.
Getting There
Lephalale town is reached via the R510 or R518 from Thabazimbi and Vaalwater, roughly 260 km from Pretoria. Groblersbrug border post connects the municipality to Botswana in the north. Polokwane International Airport, about 200 km east, is the nearest scheduled air link.
FAQ
What is the seat of Lephalale Local Municipality?
Lephalale town (formerly Ellisras), in Limpopo’s Waterberg District.
What is Lephalale’s main industry?
Coal mining and electricity generation, feeding Eskom’s Matimba and Medupi power stations.
What is the population of Lephalale?
125,198 people (2022 census), up from 118,864 in 2011.
How big is Lephalale Local Municipality?
13,794 km², the largest in Waterberg District.
What was Lephalale previously called?
Ellisras — renamed Lephalale after South Africa’s democratic transition.