Rustenburg Local Municipality is the largest municipality by population in North West province, part of Bojanala Platinum District. The 2022 census counted 562,315 people over 3,416 km², seated at Rustenburg town. It sits on some of the richest platinum reserves in the world, and the mining industry shapes almost every part of local life here.
Towns and Villages in Rustenburg
Rustenburg town and the mining settlement of Marikana anchor the municipality, with a wide belt of townships, mine villages and rural settlements around them on the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
| Place | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rustenburg | Seat | 373,695 |
| Marikana | Town | 23,389 |
| Hartbeestfontein-A | Town | 31,554 |
| Monnakato | Town | 9,676 |
| Maile | Town | 10,000 |
| Phatsima | Suburb | 8,796 |
| Boitekong | Township | — |
| Tlhabane | Township | — |
| Phokeng | Village | — |
| Kroondal | Village | — |
Other settlements:
- Bala
- Bantu Township
- Baraseba
- Beestekraal
- Bethanie
- Boitekong Ext 2
- Boons
- Boshoek
- Breetsvlei
- Buampsa
- Buffelshoek
- Buffelspoort
- Freedom Park
- Ga-Kgale
- Ga-Luka
- Geelhout Park
- Hermansburg
- Kana
- Kwa-Chaneng
- Kwa-Luka
- Leeukop
- Lefaragatlhe
- Lekkerrus
- Lenotong
- Lesung
- Mabitse
- Makolokwe
- Mallaphiri
- Manoka
- Masosobane
- Mathopestat
- Maumong
- Mfidikoe
- Modikwe
- Mogono
- Mudubung
- Nooitgedacht
- Photsaneng
- Protea Park
- Ramala
- Rankelenyane
- Rathipa
- Rietfontein
- Safari Tuine
- Serutube
- Thekwane
- Thlabane
- Tlaseng
- Tsitsing
- Turfvlakte
- Vlakfontein
- Wevedeen
Geography
Rustenburg sits on the southern slope of the Magaliesberg range, on the platinum-bearing Bushveld Igneous Complex — one of the world’s largest known sources of platinum-group metals. It borders Madibeng, Moses Kotane and Kgetlengrivier within Bojanala Platinum District. The town itself lies in a valley between the Magaliesberg and Pilanesberg ranges.
Rustenburg town was founded in 1850 by Voortrekkers moving north from the Cape, and its name — “town of rest” in Afrikaans — reflects its original role as a farming and trading stop rather than an industrial centre. Platinum mining transformed it from the 1920s onward, after platinum-group metals were first identified in the surrounding Bushveld Igneous Complex, and the town has grown steadily around successive waves of mine development ever since.
Demographics
Population rose from 549,575 in 2011 to 562,315 in 2022, a modest gain driven by mine-linked in-migration to Marikana and the Rustenburg town belt. Rustenburg town itself accounts for close to two-thirds of the municipal population, with the rest spread across mine villages, townships and smaller farming settlements.
Economy and Local Life
Platinum mining is the main employer — Rustenburg sits on the world’s largest known platinum reserves, with mines around Marikana and the town itself run by some of the biggest producers in the industry. Retail, municipal services and mine-support trades fill out the Rustenburg town core, while townships such as Tlhabane and Boitekong house much of the mining workforce.
Getting There
The N4 toll route links Rustenburg to Pretoria/Tshwane (about 120 km east) and Zeerust to the west. Rustenburg Airport handles regional flights; OR Tambo International near Johannesburg is the nearest major airport, roughly two hours’ drive away.
Beyond mining, Rustenburg town has grown into the retail and service hub for the whole Bojanala Platinum area, with shopping centres, hospitals and schools drawing residents from Madibeng, Moses Kotane and Kgetlengrivier as well. The Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, on the town’s southern edge, offers a rare patch of protected Magaliesberg grassland within walking distance of the urban centre.
FAQ
What is the seat of Rustenburg Local Municipality?
Rustenburg town.
What is Rustenburg’s population?
562,315 at the 2022 census, up from 549,575 in 2011 — the largest population of any North West municipality.
Which district is Rustenburg in?
Bojanala Platinum District, North West province.
What is the main industry?
Platinum mining, with Rustenburg sitting on some of the richest platinum-group-metal reserves in the world.
How many towns and villages are in Rustenburg?
The seat town plus dozens of townships, mine villages and rural settlements across the municipality, listed above.