2 PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 3 CONTENT 1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 5 2. Brief Overview .................................................................................................... 7 2.1. Historical Perspective .............................................................................................. 7 2.2. Location .................................................................................................................. 7 2.3. Spatial Integration ................................................................................................... 9 3. Social Development ......................................................................................... 10 3.1. Key Demographics ................................................................................................ 10 3.1.1. Population .......................................................................................................... 10 3.1.2. Gender, Age and Race ....................................................................................... 11 3.1.3. Households ........................................................................................................ 12 3.2. Health Profile ......................................................................................................... 13 3.3. Covid-19 ................................................................................................................ 14 3.4. Poverty Dimensions .............................................................................................. 16 3.4.1. Distribution ......................................................................................................... 16 3.4.2. Inequality ............................................................................................................ 17 3.4.3. Employment/Unemployment............................................................................... 17 3.4.4. Crime ................................................................................................................. 19 3.5. Education and Skills Profile ................................................................................... 20 4. Economic Drivers ............................................................................................ 23 4.1. Economic Drivers .................................................................................................. 23 4.2. Primary Sector ...................................................................................................... 23 4.3. Secondary Sector .................................................................................................. 24 4.4. Tertiary Sector ....................................................................................................... 24 4.5. Tourism ................................................................................................................. 25 4.6. Informal Economy ................................................................................................. 25 5. Service Delivery ............................................................................................... 26 5.1. Water and Sanitation ............................................................................................. 26 5.2. Human Settlements ............................................................................................... 27 5.3. Electricity ............................................................................................................... 27 5.4. Waste Management .............................................................................................. 28 5.5. Transport ............................................................................................................... 29 6. Governance and Management ........................................................................ 29 6.1. Municipal Performance .......................................................................................... 29 6.2. Municipal Capacity ................................................................................................ 30 7. Projects to Diversify and Grow the Economy ............................................... 31 7.1. Spatial Development ............................................................................................. 31 7.2. Environmental forecast .......................................................................................... 32 7.3. Social Development Projects ................................................................................. 33 7.4. Infrastructure Projects ........................................................................................... 33 7.5. Economic Projects................................................................................................. 33 7.5.1. Agri-Park in Springfontein ................................................................................... 34 7.5.2. Tourism Route .................................................................................................... 34 8. Key Recommendations ................................................................................... 36 4 PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 5 6 PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 1. Executive Summary The Xhariep District Municipality (DC 16) is a Category C municipality and is situated in the southern part of the Free State. The District is located in a semi-arid region with a dispersed settlement pattern and is known as a place of endless space, vast tracts of sheep and cattle farmland. Xhariep is a typical rural district with 20 small towns and 3 remote towns which boast abundant natural resources such as water and agricultural land. Xhariep District Municipality is comprised of three local municipalities: Letsemeng Local Municipality, Kopanong Local Municipality and Mohokare Local Municipality. Three national roads the N1 (Gauteng to Cape Town), N6 (Eastern Cape to Bloemfontein) and N8 (Bloemfontein to Kimberley) pass through this district making accessible to other parts of the country. The District has a population of 121 687, which is 4.2 % of the total population of the Free State Province. The annual population growth rate of 0.1%. The worst negative growth rate was in 2008, -2.2%. This changed from 2017 when the growth rate recovered at 0.0%. The District had a total number of 40 234 households with a population density of 3.3 people per square kilometers. 37.6% households are headed by women. There are 353 child-headed households and 241 (68.3%) of the child households are headed by boys. As at 02 June 2020, 3 250 tests have been conducted in Xhariep, recording 50 confirmed cases, 1 deaths and 1 recoveries. The towns of Bethulile in Kopanong Local Municipality has recorded the most cases at 47 followed by Petrusburg, Jacobsdal and Luckhof each recording 1 confirmed case. Petrusburg, Jacobsdal and Luckhof are located in Letsemeng Local Municipality. Mangaung remains the epicentre of Covid- 19 in the Free State, followed by Xhariep District with 50 cases and Fezile Dabi with 33 confirmed cases. There are three state-owned quarantine facilities in Xhariep with 83 beds combined. The facilities have not been activated as at 29 May 2020. The economy of Xhariep was driven by the tertiary sector with the community services sector had the highest contribution at 31.9%. The community services sector had the highest contribution at 31.9%, followed by trade at 13.5% and transport and finance both at 9.1%. The Draft National Spatial Development Framework has identified Kopanong and Letsemeng Local Municipalities within Xhariep District Municipality, as the Arid- Innovation Region affected municipalities. The vast distances between the various PROFILE: XHARIEP DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 7 towns in the District make all communities dependent on the regional distribution roads for social as well as economic functioning. Most of these roads are however in a state of disrepair and especially the routes falling within the corridor areas will have to be upgraded and maintained. 2. Brief Overview 2.1. Historical Perspective Xhariep is named after the Gariep Dam, which is the largest dam in South Africa and is situated at the southern tip of the district. The District is located in a semi-arid region with a dispersed settlement pattern and is known as a place of endless space, vast tracts of sheep and cattle farmland. Xhariep is a typical rural district with 20 small towns and 3 remote towns which boast abundant natural resources such as water and agricultural land. Xhariep is bordered for most of its eastern border by the Maluti and Drakensberg mountains. Hydrologically, the district is located between the Vaal River to the north and Orange River to the south, with rivers within the district draining towards these rivers. The region is filled with impressive museums and magnificent monuments commemorating the Anglo-Boer War and also the Great Trek of 1938. The town of Bethulie in Xhariep, was formed in 1901, as a French mission station. The sandstone architecture in the region is also of significant importance to the country’s history. 2.2. Location The Xhariep District Municipality (DC 16) is a Category C municipality and is situated in the southern part of the Free State. It shares its boundaries with Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to