Namakwa District Municipality covers the north-western Northern Cape, from the Namibian border to the edge of the Karoo. The 2022 census counted 148,936 people across six local municipalities, up from 115,841 in 2011. It is South Africa’s largest district municipality by area and one of its most thinly populated.
Local Municipalities in Namakwa
| Municipality | Seat | 2022 Pop. |
|---|---|---|
| Richtersveld | Port Nolloth | 24,235 |
| Nama Khoi | Springbok | 67,089 |
| Kamiesberg | Garies | 15,130 |
| Hantam | Calvinia | 22,281 |
| Karoo Hoogland | Williston | 11,691 |
| Khâi-Ma | Pofadder | 8,510 |
Major Towns
- Springbok — district’s commercial hub, seat of Nama Khoi
- Calvinia — seat of Hantam, agricultural service centre
- Port Nolloth — coastal diamond town, seat of Richtersveld
- Alexander Bay — Orange River mouth, diamond mining
- Nababeep — historic copper-mining town
- Okiep — historic copper-mining town
- Steinkopf — Nama Khoi’s second-largest settlement
- Pofadder — seat of Khâi-Ma, N14 junction
- Williston — seat of Karoo Hoogland
- Sutherland — home to the Southern African Large Telescope
- Fraserburg — Karoo Hoogland’s second town
- Garies — seat of Kamiesberg
- Kamieskroon — N7 wildflower-route village
- Nieuwoudtville — Bokkeveld plateau, wildflower area
- Concordia — copper-belt settlement near Springbok
- Kleinzee — active diamond-mining area
- Loeriesfontein — Hantam plateau farming village
- Brandvlei — Hantam farming town
- Hondeklipbaai — Sandveld coastal village
- Aggeneys — Khâi-Ma mining settlement
Geography
Namakwa stretches from the Atlantic coast at Port Nolloth and Hondeklipbaai across the Namaqualand hardveld to the arid Bushmanland and Karoo plateaus in the east and south. It borders Namibia to the north, the Western Cape to the south and the John Taolo Gaetsewe and Pixley ka Seme districts to the east.
Economy and Local Life
Diamond and copper mining anchor the coastal and central economies (Alexander Bay, Kleinzee, Okiep, Nababeep), while sheep farming supports the interior towns of Hantam, Karoo Hoogland and Kamiesberg. Namaqualand’s spring wildflower bloom each August and September draws significant tourism to Kamiesberg and Hantam, one of the district’s main non-mining income sources.
Copper mining built the towns of Okiep and Nababeep from the 1850s, giving Namakwa South Africa’s first narrow-gauge railway line to move ore to Port Nolloth. Diamond mining followed from 1925 along the coast at Port Nolloth and Alexander Bay, and the Richtersveld’s Nama pastoral communities and botanical landscape were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Sutherland, in the district’s south-east, became home to the Southern African Large Telescope thanks to its exceptionally clear, dry skies.
FAQ
How many local municipalities make up Namakwa District?
Six: Richtersveld, Nama Khoi, Kamiesberg, Hantam, Karoo Hoogland and Khâi-Ma.
What is the population of Namakwa District?
148,936 at the 2022 census, up from 115,841 in 2011.
Which town is the largest in the district?
Springbok, seat of Nama Khoi Local Municipality.
What drives the district’s economy?
Diamond and copper mining, sheep farming, and wildflower tourism.