Lejweleputswa District Municipality is one of five districts in the Free State province of South Africa. It covers 31,930 km² and had a 2022 census population of 679,746, spread across five local municipalities. The district seat is Welkom.
“Lejweleputswa” is Sesotho for “grey rock,” a reference to the mine dumps and rock outcrops of the goldfields at its centre. The district runs from the old gold-mining belt around Welkom to the maize-farming plains further west.
Local Municipalities in Lejweleputswa
| Municipality | Seat | 2022 Population |
|---|---|---|
| Matjhabeng | Welkom | 439,034 |
| Nala | Bothaville | 90,561 |
| Masilonyana | Theunissen | 63,800 |
| Tswelopele | Bultfontein | 56,896 |
| Tokologo | Boshof | 29,455 |
Matjhabeng alone accounts for well over half the district’s population — the goldfields towns of Welkom, Odendaalsrus and Virginia dwarf the farming towns further west.
Major Towns
The district’s largest places, drawn from all five member municipalities:
- Welkom (Matjhabeng, seat of both the local and district municipality)
- Virginia (Matjhabeng)
- Kutloanong (Matjhabeng)
- Odendaalsrus (Matjhabeng)
- Bothaville (Nala)
- Wesselsbron (Nala)
- Theunissen (Masilonyana)
- Allanridge (Matjhabeng)
- Phomolong (Matjhabeng)
- Winburg (Masilonyana)
- Winnie Mandela (Masilonyana)
- Bultfontein (Tswelopele)
- Hennenman (Matjhabeng)
- Hoopstad (Tswelopele)
- Boshof (Tokologo)
- Dealesville (Tokologo)
- Ventersburg (Matjhabeng)
- Hertzogville (Tokologo)
- Verkeerdevlei (Masilonyana)
- Ikgomotseng (Masilonyana)
Geography
Lejweleputswa occupies the west-central Free State, flat to gently rolling highveld grassland used for maize, sunflower and livestock farming outside the mining belt around Welkom. The Vet and Vals rivers cross the district’s western and central municipalities, feeding the irrigation farms around Hoopstad and Bothaville. The district borders Dr Kenneth Kaunda District in North West to the north, Frances Baard and Pixley ka Seme districts in the Northern Cape to the west, and shares its eastern and southern boundaries with Fezile Dabi District and Mangaung Metro. At 31,930 km², Lejweleputswa is one of the larger Free State districts by area, though its population is concentrated overwhelmingly in the Matjhabeng goldfields towns.
Demographics
Matjhabeng holds well over half the district’s population, followed at a distance by Nala, Masilonyana, Tswelopele and Tokologo — reflecting the historical pull of gold-mining employment toward Welkom and its satellite towns. Sotho is the district’s dominant first language, with significant Xhosa- and Afrikaans-speaking minorities in the mining towns, a legacy of migrant labour drawn from across the region during the goldfields’ peak decades.
Economy and Local Life
Gold mining built the district’s economy around Welkom, Odendaalsrus and Virginia, though the industry has contracted sharply in recent decades as mines have closed and unemployment has risen sharply in Matjhabeng. Outside the goldfields belt, commercial maize, sunflower and livestock farming supports Nala, Masilonyana, Tswelopele and Tokologo, with Bothaville’s NAMPO Park hosting South Africa’s largest agricultural machinery show each May and drawing farmers from across the country. Provincial and district government offices, based in Welkom, are another significant employer district-wide.
Getting There
The N1 national route runs through Winburg in Masilonyana toward Bloemfontein and Johannesburg; the R30 links Welkom to Kroonstad in neighbouring Fezile Dabi District. There is no scheduled passenger rail service serving the district’s local municipalities directly. Bloemfontein’s Bram Fischer International Airport, roughly 130 km south of Welkom, is the nearest airport with regular scheduled flights, and Welkom’s own smaller airport handles limited domestic traffic.
FAQ
What is the seat of Lejweleputswa District Municipality?
Welkom.
How many local municipalities are in Lejweleputswa?
Five: Matjhabeng, Nala, Masilonyana, Tswelopele and Tokologo.
What is the population of Lejweleputswa District?
679,746 people at the 2022 census.
What is the district’s main industry?
Historically gold mining around Welkom; commercial farming dominates the rest of the district.
Which province is Lejweleputswa District in?
Free State.
Which local municipality has the most people in Lejweleputswa?
Matjhabeng, home to Welkom and the district’s former goldfields towns.
How big is Lejweleputswa District?
31,930 km², making it one of the larger Free State districts by area.