Bela-Bela

Quick Fact

Bela-Bela has household population of 66 500.

Quick Fact Image 2,44% Growth Rate

Belabela is home to one of the world’smost famous hot mineral water springs, bubbling 22 000 litres per hour, with a temperature of 53°C.The natural hot water is rich in sodium chloride, calcium carbonate and other salts that have healing properties.Belabelaremains one of the most popular health and holiday resort towns in South Africa and a preferred destination for local and foreign tourists.The area has pleasantly mild climate during the winter months and an average of 286 sunny days per year,which adds to the popularity of the destination.

Geographically, BelabelaLocal Municipality is strategically positioned in the Waterberg District Municipality of the Limpopo province. Belabela shares borders with Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West provinces. South Africa’s famous national route, N1, runs through the municipality and the town’s main Central Business District (CBD) area is only 10km away from this major route. Belabelais 174 km from the provincial capital Polokwane.

Rank By:
149 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Umjindi , Mpumalanga 67,156 146
Matzikama , Western Cape 67,147 147
Naledi , North West 66,781 148
Bela-Bela , Limpopo 66,500 149
Greater Kokstad , KwaZulu-Natal 65,981 150
Kai !Garib , Northern Cape 65,869 151
Richmond , KwaZulu-Natal 65,793 152
Quick Fact

9,7% of those 20+ have no schooling.

Quick Fact Image

Of the 66 500 people living in the municipality, 84,8% are black African, 12,9% are white, with other population groups making up the remaining 2,3%.

Amongst those aged 20 years and above, 26,3% completed matric, 9,5% have some form of higher education, and 9,7% have no form of schooling.

Group Percentage
Black African84,8%
Coloured1,5%
Indian/Asian0,6%
White12,9%
Other0,3%
Age Males Females
0-4 5,3% 5,2%
5-9 4,5% 4,6%
10-14 4,3% 4,2%
15-19 4,4% 4,2%
20-24 5,6% 4,7%
25-29 5,4% 4,7%
30-34 4,4% 3,6%
35-39 3,5% 3,4%
40-44 3% 2,9%
45-49 2,5% 2,5%
50-54 2,1% 2,3%
55-59 1,7% 1,9%
60-64 1,5% 1,5%
65-69 1,1% 1,1%
70-74 0,7% 0,9%
75-79 0,5% 0,6%
80-84 0,3% 0,4%
85+ 0,2% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 13%
English 3,9%
IsiNdebele 3%
IsiXhosa 0,6%
IsiZulu 1,5%
Sepedi 37%
Sesotho 5,4%
Setswana 16,1%
Sign Language 0,2%
SiSwati 0,3%
Tshivenda 1,2%
Xitsonga 10,2%
Other 4%
Not Applicable 3,7%
Group Percentage
Married 24,3%
Living together like married partners 7,2%
Never married 64,1%
Widower/Widow 2,8%
Separated 0,4%
Divorced 1,1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,3%
Some Primary 40,8%
Completed Primary 6,2%
Some Secondary 31,5%
Completed Secondary 10,6%
Higher Education 1,4%
Not Applicable 6,2%
Sex Percentage
Female 49,2%
Male 50,8%
Quick Fact

85,0% Use electricity for lighting.

Quick Fact Image

Of the 18 068 households in the municipality, 41,9% have access to piped water in their dwelling or in the yard, 3,2% of households have no access to piped water and 85,0% of households have access to electricity for lighting.

Area Percentage
Urban 70,7%
Tribal/Traditional 7,6%
Farm 21,7%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 88,6% 11,4%
Computer 18,3% 81,7%
Television 72,9% 27,1%
Satellite Television 24,7% 75,3%
Radio 63,1% 36,9%
Landline / Telephone 9,9% 90,1%
Motor Car 28,3% 71,7%
Refrigerator 66,8% 33,2%
Electric / Gas-Stove 76,5% 23,5%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 75,6% 65,8% 85%
Gas 4% 1,7% 0,3%
Paraffin 8,9% 3,5% 0,7%
Solar 0,1% 0,3% 0,3%
Candles 0% 0% 13,5%
Wood 11% 13,2% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,1% 0%
Animal Dung 0% 0% 0%
Other 0% 0% 0%
None 0,2% 15,3% 0,3%
Access Percentage
From Home 6,3%
From Cellphone 13,8%
From Work 3,6%
From Elsewhere 3%
No Access 73,4%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 27,9%
Owned and fully paid off 37,6%
Owned but not yet paid off 6,1%
Occupied rent free 22,1%
Other 6,3%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 70,5%
Borehole 25,3%
Spring 0,1%
Rain water tank 0,2%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 0,9%
River/Stream 0,2%
Water vendor 1%
Water tanker 1%
Other 0,9%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 2,4%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 69,7%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 9,2%
Chemical toilet 1,9%
Pit toilet with ventilation 2,9%
Pit toilet without ventilation 10,8%
Bucket toilet 1,8%
Other 1,3%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 64,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,4%
Communal refuse dump 1,8%
Own refuse dump 24,4%
No rubbish disposal 6,1%
Other 2,2%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 64,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,4%
Communal refuse dump 1,8%
Own refuse dump 24,4%
No rubbish disposal 6,1%
Other 2,2%
Quick Fact

29,8% Youth unemployment rate.

Quick Fact Image

Tourism and agriculture are the main contributing industries to the economy of Belabela.

Belabelahas two mayor holiday resorts (Belabela Forever and ATKV Kleinkariba), plenty of large game farms (Zebula, Mabula, Mabalingwe, etc.), the Eliments Golf Estate and a few other game farms and estates.

Agricultural production includes fruit, vegetables, cattle, grains and game.

The contribution of the mining sector towards local economic development in BelaBela is insignificant. Although diamond resources are sufficiently available, there is an inadequate  supply of precious metals, particularly gold. Other metals are found on a limited scale and include manganese, copper, tin and cobalt. The supply of calcite, refractory clay and fluorspar is sufficient. The distribution of limestone industrial mineral is small, with a medium scale supply of sandstone in the area.

Employment Status Number
Employed 20720
Unemployed 6002
Discouraged Work Seeker 1057
Not Economically Active 16099
Income Percentage
None income 12,8%
R1 - R4,800 3,1%
R4,801 - R9,600 5,7%
R9,601 - R19,600 19,5%
R19,601 - R38,200 24,5%
R38,201 - R76,4000 15,5%
R76,401 - R153,800 9,2%
R153,801 - R307,600 6%
R307,601 - R614,400 2,5%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,7%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,2%
R2,457,601+ 0,2%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 696
Poultry production 904
Vegetable production 739
Production of other crops 572
Other 614

**An agricultural household may engage in more than one agricultural activity

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 775
Animals only 891
Mixed farming 376
Other 163

**An agricultural household may not fall under more than one agricultural activity

Income category of agricultural households
Annual income category of agricultural household heads Number
No income 530
R1-R4 800 57
R4 801-R38 400 1,068
R38 401-R307 200 421
R307 201+ 64
Unspecified 66

Place names

Places in Bela-Bela Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population66,500
Young (0-14)28,1%
Working Age (15-64)66%
Elderly (65+)5,9%
Dependency ratio51,6
Sex ratio103,1
Growth rate2,44% (2001-2011)
Population density20 persons/km2
Unemployment rate22,5%
Youth unemployment rate29,8%
No schooling aged 20+9,7%
Higher education aged 20+9,5%
Matric aged 20+26,2%
Number of households18,068
Number of Agricultural households2,206
Average household size3,4
Female headed households37,5%
Formal dwellings86,3%
Housing owned/paying off43,7%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage69,7%
Weekly refuse removal64,2%
Piped water inside dwelling41,9%
Electricity for lighting85%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population52,124
Young (0-14)32,4%
Working Age (15-64)66%
Elderly (65+)5,9%
Dependency ratio62,2%
Sex ratio93,5
Growth rate1,82% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate32,6%
Youth unemployment rate42%
No schooling aged 20+16,2%
Higher education aged 20+8%
Matric aged 20+16,9%
Number of households12,335
Average household size3,6
Female headed households36,7%
Formal dwellings79,3%
Housing owned/paying off56,7%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage65,2%
Weekly refuse removal62,4%
Piped water inside dwelling23,3%
Electricity for lighting72%