About Matjhabeng

General Overview

Matjhabeng Municipality came into existence on 05 December 2000 after the amalgamation and emerging of the former six (6) Transitional Local Council into a one (1) financially viable and economically sustainable municipality.

Matjhabeng Municipality incorporates the city of Welkom and the towns of Odendaalsrus, Virginia, Hennenman, Allanridge and Ventersburg with a combined population of more than 500 000 people.

The economy of the Matjhabeng Municipality area centered on mining activities located in and around Allanridge, Odendaalsrus, Welkom and Virginia. Manufacturing aimed at the mining sector exists to a limited extent in the above towns. Other manufacturing activities are limited.

Bulk water infrastructure consists mostly of reservoirs and pipelines of Sedibeng Water. These supply all of the Matjhabeng towns and the mines with water from the Vaal River near Bothaville and to a lesser extent from the Sand River.

The bulk electrical network is well established in the Matjhabeng area. Eskom serves all mines and towns in the Municipal area and thus there is sufficient bulk infrastructure available to serve the whole area. In all the previously disadvantaged area Eskom sells directly to consumers.

There are no public transport system operating in Matjhabeng, bar privately-owned taxis. These are in a process of transformation from 16-seater Combi to the 35-seater bus according to the recapitalization programme.