Joe Morolong Local Municipality covers the far northern reach of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District in the Northern Cape, bordering Botswana. The 2022 census counted 125,420 people over 20,180 km², up from 89,530 in 2011.
Towns and Villages in Joe Morolong
The municipality has no single dominant town; its 29 wards spread rural villages across a large, sandy Kalahari landscape, formerly known as Moshaweng (“place of sand”).
| Place | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Van Zylsrus | Town | Main administrative and trade centre |
| Hotazel | Village | Manganese-mining area |
| Ga-Malelo | Village | Rural |
| Eldorado | Village | Rural |
- Van Zylsrus
- Hotazel
- Ga-Malelo
- Eldorado
- Annasgeluk
- Bokkraal
- Dwarsvlei
- Geluk
- Grootdrink
- Kikafela
- Lek-Lek
- Lower Dikgatlhong
- Sonstraal
- Sutton
Geography
Joe Morolong shares John Taolo Gaetsewe District with Ga-Segonyana and Gamagara, and it is the largest of the three by area. Its former name, Moshaweng, is Setswana for “place of sand,” a fitting description of the flat Kalahari terrain that dominates the municipality’s northern reaches toward the Botswana border.
Demographics
Population grew from 89,530 in 2011 to 125,420 in 2022. Black African residents make up 97.5% of the population, and Tswana is the first language of 90.7%. The ANC holds 18 of 29 council seats, with Mayor Dineo Leutlwetse-Tshabalala leading the municipality since the November 2021 elections. Population is spread thinly across the municipality’s 29 wards, with no single settlement holding a dominant share, reflecting the area’s communal-land village pattern.
Economy and Local Life
Manganese mining around Hotazel is a major employer, alongside cattle farming across the municipality’s wide communal grazing lands. Van Zylsrus serves as a trading stop on the route toward the Kalahari and Botswana border, supporting travellers and local farmers alike with fuel and basic retail. Most of the municipality’s 29 wards remain rural and dispersed, with subsistence and small commercial cattle farming the main source of household income outside the Hotazel mining belt.
Getting There
Van Zylsrus lies on the R31, about 100 km north-west of Kuruman. The nearest airport is at Kathu, roughly 130 km away, and the R31 continues north toward the Botswana border post at McCarthy’s Rest.
History
The area was historically Tswana communal land under traditional leadership, and much of it remains under communal tenure today, a key reason the municipality has few large towns and many dispersed villages instead. It was renamed from Moshaweng to Joe Morolong, honouring an ANC struggle veteran and former Northern Cape leader, after the 2011 local government elections. Manganese mining at Hotazel developed from the mid-20th century, tapping some of the world’s largest known manganese reserves.
FAQ
Which district is Joe Morolong Local Municipality in?
John Taolo Gaetsewe District, Northern Cape.
How many people live in Joe Morolong?
125,420 at the 2022 census.
What was the municipality’s former name?
Moshaweng, meaning “place of sand” in Setswana.
What is the main town?
Van Zylsrus, its principal administrative and trade centre.
What drives the local economy?
Manganese mining near Hotazel and cattle farming.
Which country does it border?
Botswana, along its northern edge.
Who is the municipality named after?
Joe Morolong, an ANC struggle veteran and former Northern Cape leader, honoured in the 2011 renaming from Moshaweng.
How big is Joe Morolong Local Municipality?
20,180 km², the largest of the three John Taolo Gaetsewe municipalities by area, though not the most populous.
What language do most residents speak?
Tswana, the first language of 90.7% of the population.
Who leads the municipal council?
Mayor Dineo Leutlwetse-Tshabalala, heading a 29-member council with an ANC majority.
What is the population of Van Zylsrus?
A small trading town, far smaller than Kuruman or Kathu, serving as the municipality’s main administrative and retail service point for the surrounding Kalahari farms.