THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN LEPHALALE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute examines the Lephalale Local Municipality's efforts to transition into a post-apartheid city while grappling with a legacy of private land and infrastructure ownership. It details how the construction of the Medupi power station triggered a population boom that overwhelmed the municipality's limited capacity, leading to infrastructure failure and the growth of informal settlements. The document highlights the municipality's dependence on corporate entities like Exxaro and Eskom for basic services and the role of the Lephalale Development Forum (LDF) as a parallel, business-funded governance structure.

• The Lephalale Local Municipality suffers from a critical lack of land ownership, which severely limits its ability to guide urban development and integrate historically segregated areas. Much of the land is owned by private farmers or corporations like Exxaro and Eskom, forcing the municipality to negotiate for land even for basic needs such as cemeteries or landfills.
• The construction of the Medupi power station starting in 2007 caused a rapid population increase that the municipality was unprepared for, leading to a crisis in basic service delivery. This boom resulted in bursting asbestos pipes, failing electrical cables, routine sewerage spillages, and a surge in illegal land occupation.
• The municipality is heavily dependent on private entities for water provision. It buys purified water from Exxaro's Zeeland water-treatment works for resale, a legacy of the town's origins as a company town. While there are plans to transfer the plant to the municipality, a lack of internal technical skills has delayed the handover.
• Severe housing shortages and exorbitant property prices driven by speculation and corporate subsidies have led to the emergence of large informal shack settlements, particularly in Marapong. The municipality lacks well-located land for affordable housing and must rely on provincial government (CoGHSTA) for projects like the Altoostyd mixed-income development.
• The Lephalale Development Forum (LDF), funded by Exxaro, operates as a parallel structure to the municipal administration to bypass bureaucratic delays and political instability. While it has facilitated projects valued at over R500 million, it is criticized by some officials for being a 'privatised' forum that lacks institutional accountability and isolates the municipality from key decisions.
• The municipality faces significant human resource challenges, including uncompetitive salaries, a high turnover of skilled professionals (such as town-planners), and political interference in the appointment of Section 56 managers. This instability is compounded by the frequent rotation of acting municipal managers, which disrupts budgeting and project completion.
• Electricity provision is a primary revenue source, but the municipality struggles with a 20% electricity loss due to deteriorating infrastructure and illegal connections. It also faces financial strain from a R150 million debt in Marapong, where it cannot cut off electricity for water payment defaults because Eskom provides the power directly.

APA

PHADI, M., & PEARSON, J. (n.d.). THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN LEPHALALE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/20180412_LephalaleReport.pdf

Chicago

PHADI, MOSA, and JOEL PEARSON. THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN LEPHALALE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY. Public Affairs Research Institute, n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/20180412_LephalaleReport.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=PHADI |first1=MOSA |last2=PEARSON |first2=JOEL |title=THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN LEPHALALE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/20180412_LephalaleReport.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{phadindstruggle, author = {PHADI, MOSA and PEARSON, JOEL}, title = {{THE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN LEPHALALE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/20180412_LephalaleReport.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }