Collins Chabane Local Municipality was formed in August 2016 by combining portions of the former Thulamela and Makhado local municipalities. It lies in Limpopo’s Vhembe District, with 443,798 people counted in the 2022 census across 5,003 km². The seat is Malamulele.
The municipality is named after Collins Chabane, a South African cabinet minister who died in a road accident in March 2015.
Towns and Villages in Collins Chabane
| Place | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Malamulele | Seat | Pop. 15,659 |
| Ka-Mhinga | Village | Pop. 12,609 |
| Vuwani | Village | Pop. 3,343; Hlanganani-Vuwani economic node |
| Ka-Xihosana | Village | Pop. 3,050 |
| Saselamani | Village | Pop. 4,465 |
| Ka-Mahonisi | Village | Pop. 4,490 |
Other settlements recorded in the Malamulele/Hlanganani area:
- Hlanganani
- Ka-Madonsi
- Ka-Mavambe
- Ka-Mavundani
- Ka-Mbatlo
- Ka-Mchipise
- Ka-Mudavula
- Ka-Muswane
- Ka-Nghezimani
- Ka-Nyavani
- Ka-Phaphazela
- Ka-Sunduza
- Ka-Xikundu
- Ka-Xitlhelani
- Makumbane
- Manamane
- Mangondi
- Maphophe
- Masikhwa
- Matangari
- Mavunde
- Mtititi
- Mvelaphanda
- Phaweni
Geography
Collins Chabane covers the eastern Vhembe lowveld toward the Kruger National Park boundary, drier and flatter than the Soutpansberg country to its west. The Klein Letaba and Nzhelele rivers cross the municipality on their way toward the Limpopo. It borders Thulamela, Makhado and Musina within Vhembe District, and Mopani District to the south.
Demographics
The population rose from 328,529 in the 2011 census (measured under the predecessor municipalities’ boundaries) to 443,798 in 2022. Xitsonga is the dominant home language across the Malamulele area, distinguishing Collins Chabane from the Venda-speaking municipalities around it, with small Venda-speaking pockets near its western boundary and a further minority who speak Northern Sotho or Afrikaans in the trading towns and around the local government offices and schools serving the wider municipality, plus a small English-speaking business community in Malamulele and around the Hlanganani-Vuwani trading node, both hubs for shops, taxis and small enterprises serving the wider rural population.
Economy and Local Life
Small business and informal trade centred on Malamulele and the Hlanganani-Vuwani node make up much of the formal economy, supported by a local chamber of business launched in 2017. Communal and irrigated farming continues across the rural wards, and many households depend on remittances from family members working in Gauteng or further afield.
The municipality is organised into seven recognised economic nodal points, a structure meant to spread trade and services beyond Malamulele itself into surrounding villages such as Vuwani and Ka-Mhinga. Retail, taxi and transport operations, and government and school employment make up most formal jobs, while subsistence farming of maize and vegetables remains widespread on communal land across the rural wards.
History
The Malamulele and Vuwani areas were administered as part of the pre-1994 Venda and Gazankulu bantustans respectively, and the boundary between former Thulamela and Makhado inherited some of that older division. Collins Chabane Local Municipality itself is young by South African standards, created only in the August 2016 municipal elections to give the largely Xitsonga-speaking Malamulele area its own dedicated local government rather than remaining a peripheral part of Thulamela.
Getting There
Malamulele is reached via the R578 from Makhado (Louis Trichardt), about 65 km east. The R81 connects the municipality south toward Giyani and Mopani District. Polokwane International Airport, roughly two hours south-west, is the nearest scheduled air link.
FAQ
What is the seat of Collins Chabane Local Municipality?
Malamulele, in Limpopo’s Vhembe District.
How was Collins Chabane formed?
In August 2016, by combining portions of the former Thulamela and Makhado local municipalities.
What is the population of Collins Chabane?
443,798 people (2022 census), up from 328,529 in 2011.
Who was Collins Chabane?
A South African cabinet minister the municipality is named after, following his death in a March 2015 road accident.
Which language is most spoken in Collins Chabane?
Xitsonga, distinguishing the municipality from the Venda-speaking areas around it.