The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMDM) is one of the four district municipalities (DMs) in the North West Province (NWP) with a total extend of 28206 km². According to Statistics South Africa Community Survey (STATSSA CS) 2016, NMMDM has a total population of 889 108. It is comprised of five Local Municipalities (LMs) namely, Ditsobotla LM, Mahikeng LM, Ramotshere Moiloa LM, Ratlou LM and Tswaing LM.
NMMDM is centrally located amongst Bojanala Platinum DM, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati DM and Dr Kenneth Kaunda DM within the NWP and shares a boundary with the Republic of Botswana to the north “a gateway to the broader SADC region”, the Northern Cape Province to the South-west and Limpopo Province to the north-east. Refer to figure 1 below:
Its strategic location offers great opportunities towards the economic development of the District underpinned by various development corridors namely:
- Platinum Corridor (N4), which stretches from the east to the west of NMMDM connecting Republic of South Africa with Republic of Botswana and Republic of Mozambique.
- The N18 Western Frontier Corridor N18; and
- N14
Demographics Profile of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality
STATSSA CS 2016 indicates that NMMDM has a population of 889 108 as compared to 842 698 in 2011 during STATSSA Census. The District has experienced an overall population growth of 5.21 percent over a five year period from 2011 to 2016.
Mahikeng LM is the most populous municipality in the District with a total population of 314 394 and Ratlou LM being the least populous with the population of 110 326.
See figure 2 and the table hereunder.
| LMS | Periods | Population | Household Income below R1 601 |
Employment rate % |
No of household per Municipality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahikeng Local | 2011 | 291 527 | 28 254 | 35.70 % | 84 239 |
| 2016 | 314 394 | ||||
| Ditsobotla Local | 2011 | 168 902 | 15 579 | 28.28 % | 44 500 |
| 2016 | 181 865 | ||||
| Ramotshere Moiloa Local | 2011 | 150 713 | 16 022 | 36.22 % | 40 740 |
| 2016 | 157 690 | ||||
| Tswaing Local | 2011 | 124 218 | 12 294 | 28.69 % | 30 634 |
| 2016 | 129 052 | ||||
| Ratlou Local | 2011 | 107 339 | 12 096 | 43.86 % | 26 889 |
| 2016 | 110 326 | ||||
| NMMDM | 2011 | 842 699 | 84 245 | 227 002 | |
| 2016 | 889 108 |
Source : Statistics South Africa - (Census 2011 & CS 2016 data)
The largest population group in the NMMDM is the African group with a total number of 850688 while the smallest population group is white group with an overall number of 1720. There was an increase of 7% in the African group population between 2011 and 2016, while the other population groups have experienced population decline during the same period. Refer, to table 1 above.
Population Composition and Structure (Table 2
| YOUNG (0-14) | 2011 | Male | 143479 |
| Female | 137095 | ||
| 2016 | Male | 119721 | |
| Female | 120421 | ||
|
WORKING AGE (15-64) |
2011 | Male | 249774 |
| Female | 262394 | ||
| 2016 | Male | 290047 | |
| Female | 285618 | ||
| Elderly (65+) | 2011 | Male | 20146 |
| Female | 29811 | ||
| 2016 | Male | 29281 | |
| Female | 44021 | ||
| SEX RATIO (MALES/100 FEMALES) | 2011 | 96.30 | |
| 2016 | 97.55 | ||
| DEPENDANCY RATIO (<15+>65/(15-64) | 2011 | 64.54 | |
| 2016 | |||
Age Groups as % of total Population-2011 Stats S.A. Census & Community Survey 2016
Table 2 above indicates that about 64.54% of the population of Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality is made up of people aged from 15 to 64 years. This group represents the economically active section of the population. About 30% of the population is made up of children aged 14 and less, while 5.46% is made up of the older generation, who are aged 65 and above.