Sedibeng District Municipality covers Gauteng’s southern Vaal Triangle region, with a combined 2022 census population of 1,190,687 across three local municipalities. “Sedibeng” is Sesotho for “place of wells”, a reference to the district’s dependence on the Vaal River system.
Sedibeng is one of only two district municipalities left in Gauteng, alongside West Rand District — the province’s three metros, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, have no district layer above them.
Local Municipalities in Sedibeng
| Municipality | Seat | 2022 pop. |
|---|---|---|
| Emfuleni | Vanderbijlpark | 945,650 |
| Lesedi | Heidelberg | 132,783 |
| Midvaal | Meyerton | 112,254 |
Major Towns
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Sebokeng
- Evaton
- Sharpeville
- Meyerton
- Heidelberg
- Ratanda
- Devon
- Boipatong
- Bophelong
- Three Rivers
- Walkerville
- Tokoza (Midvaal)
- Roshnee
- De Deur
- Henley on Klip
- Vaal Marina
- Randvaal
- Rust ter Vaal
Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging together hold most of the district’s population, with Sebokeng and Evaton the largest townships. Meyerton and Heidelberg are far smaller service towns for their surrounding rural municipalities, each with its own hospital, schools and shopping centre.
Geography
Sedibeng sits astride the Vaal River in Gauteng’s far south, bordering Free State municipalities across the river and the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and West Rand District Municipality to the north and west. Emfuleni’s built-up Vaal Triangle core sits at the district’s centre, with Midvaal’s farmland and golf estates to the east and Lesedi’s open Highveld grassland stretching to the Mpumalanga border.
Economy
The district’s economy was built on iron and steel production in the Vaal Triangle around Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging, historically anchored by large steelworks that made the area South Africa’s industrial heartland for much of the 20th century. Manufacturing has since contracted sharply, particularly in Emfuleni, which has faced sustained service-delivery strain. Midvaal has diversified into brewing (Sedibeng Breweries), golf-estate development and tourism along the Vaal River, while Lesedi’s Heidelberg serves as a rural service town for the surrounding farming district. Agriculture — maize, cattle and dairy — remains significant across Midvaal and Lesedi’s rural land.
FAQ
How many local municipalities make up Sedibeng? Three — Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi.
What is Sedibeng’s population? 1,190,687 at the 2022 census, up from 916,484 in 2011.
Which province is Sedibeng in? Gauteng.
What are Sedibeng’s main towns? Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Sebokeng, Meyerton and Heidelberg.
What does the name Sedibeng mean? Sesotho for “place of wells”, a reference to the district’s dependence on the Vaal River system for water.
How far is Sedibeng from Johannesburg? Vereeniging, its largest town, lies about 60 km south of the Johannesburg city centre via the N1 or R59.