Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (DC40) covers North West province’s goldfields belt around Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom. The 2022 census counted 734,203 people across three local municipalities, up from 695,933 in 2011. Klerksdorp, part of the City of Matlosana, is the district seat.
Local Municipalities in Dr Kenneth Kaunda
| Municipality | Seat | 2022 Population |
|---|---|---|
| City of Matlosana | Klerksdorp | 431,231 |
| JB Marks | Potchefstroom | 212,670 |
| Maquassi Hills | Wolmaransstad | 90,302 |
City of Matlosana holds well over half the district’s population, reflecting a century of Vaal River gold mining around Klerksdorp, Stilfontein and Orkney. JB Marks, formed in 2016 from Tlokwe and Ventersdorp, adds Potchefstroom’s university-town economy; Maquassi Hills is the smallest, purely a farming municipality.
Major Towns
Klerksdorp and the gold-mining towns of Stilfontein, Orkney and Khuma anchor City of Matlosana, once among South Africa’s richest goldfields. Potchefstroom, a university town on the Mooi River, anchors JB Marks along with the farming town of Ventersdorp. Wolmaransstad, Leeudoringstad and Makwassie serve Maquassi Hills, the district’s maize-belt municipality. Full town lists sit on each municipality’s own page above.
Geography
Dr Kenneth Kaunda District spans the Vaal River goldfields and surrounding maize country in the south-eastern corner of North West, bordering Free State province across the Vaal River and Bojanala Platinum District to the north. The terrain is flat to gently rolling highveld, shaped in the goldfield towns by more than a century of mining infrastructure.
Economy and Local Life
Gold mining built the district — Klerksdorp, Stilfontein and Orkney grew up around the Vaal Reefs and Hartebeestfontein gold mines, some of the deepest and most productive in South Africa’s history. Potchefstroom’s economy runs on North-West University, a major regional employer, alongside agriculture along the Mooi River. Maquassi Hills is a maize and sunflower farming area with no mining of its own.
Getting There
The N12 runs the length of the district, linking Klerksdorp to Johannesburg in the north-east and Kimberley in the south-west, with a spur to Potchefstroom and on toward Ventersdorp. Klerksdorp Airport handles light aircraft; OR Tambo International near Johannesburg is the nearest airport with regular commercial flights, roughly two hours’ drive from Klerksdorp.
FAQ
What is the seat of Dr Kenneth Kaunda District?
Klerksdorp, within the City of Matlosana.
How many local municipalities does it have?
Three: City of Matlosana, JB Marks and Maquassi Hills.
What is the district’s population?
734,203 people at the 2022 census, up from 695,933 in 2011.
Which province is Dr Kenneth Kaunda District in?
North West.
What is the district’s main industry?
Gold mining, alongside university-linked services in Potchefstroom and farming in Maquassi Hills.