Nketoana

Quick Fact

74% of the population lives in formal residences.

Quick Fact Image -0,27% Growth Rate

The Nketoana Municipality is situated within the Thabo Mafutsanyana District Municpality in the Eastern Free State. It comprises of Reitz, Petsana, PetrusSteyn, Mamafubedu, Lindley, Ntha, Arlington and Leretswana.

The municipality is 54km from Bethlehem, 240km from Johannesburg and 60 km from the N3 road. The main economic activities in the area are agriculture and retail businesses.

Nketoana Local Municipality is named after the Leibenbergsvlei River, which is Nketoana in Sesotho. The highest population density is found in the Reitz/Petsana area. The municipality accommodates approximately 60 324 people and covers an area of 5 611km2. In terms of enumeration area (EA) types, 74% of the population lives in formal residences.

Rank By:
162 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Bergrivier , Western Cape 61,897 159
Ndlambe , Eastern Cape 61,176 160
Mamusa , North West 60,355 161
Nketoana , Free State 60,324 162
Mafube , Free State 57,876 163
Ventersdorp , North West 56,702 164
Sundays River Valley , Eastern Cape 54,504 165
Quick Fact

12,7% of those 20+ have no schooling.

Quick Fact Image

The population size of the Nketoana Local Municipality is estimated at approximately 60 324, that is 8% of the total population of Thabo Mofutsanyana. Nketoana is situated in the north-eastern parts of the Free State within the regional boundaries of the Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality.

The languages spoken in Nkentoana are predominantly Sesotho, Isizulu and Afrikaans.

Group Percentage
Black African91,4%
Coloured0,3%
Indian/Asian0,2%
White7,8%
Other0,2%
Age Males Females
0-4 5,8% 6%
5-9 5,4% 5,5%
10-14 4,8% 4,9%
15-19 4,9% 4,8%
20-24 4,9% 4,8%
25-29 4,2% 4,4%
30-34 3,4% 3,6%
35-39 2,8% 3,1%
40-44 2,2% 2,7%
45-49 2,2% 2,2%
50-54 1,8% 2,4%
55-59 1,6% 2,2%
60-64 1,4% 1,7%
65-69 0,9% 1,2%
70-74 0,5% 0,9%
75-79 0,3% 0,7%
80-84 0,2% 0,5%
85+ 0,2% 0,4%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 8,6%
English 1,1%
IsiNdebele 0,2%
IsiXhosa 0,8%
IsiZulu 10,6%
Sepedi 0,1%
Sesotho 75,2%
Setswana 0,2%
Sign Language 1,7%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0,1%
Other 0.3%
Not Applicable 1%
Group Percentage
Married 23%
Living together like married partners 6,3%
Never married 63,3%
Widower/Widow 5,7%
Separated 1,1%
Divorced 0,6%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,5%
Some Primary 46,9%
Completed Primary 6,5%
Some Secondary 32,5%
Completed Secondary 9%
Higher Education 0,7%
Not Applicable 1%
Sex Percentage
Female 52,6%
Male 47,4%
Quick Fact

84,7% Use electricity for lighting.

Quick Fact Image

There are 17 318 households (Census 2011) in the Nketoana Local Municipality. The municipality covers a  total area of 5 611km2, and has an average household size of 3,5 persons per household.

In the municipality, 72% of households do not have access to piped water inside the dwelling unit, 39% are without access to flush toilets, and 15% are without access to electricity.

Area Percentage
Urban 81,2%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 18,8%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 86,2% 13,8%
Computer 12,3% 87,7%
Television 72,2% 27,8%
Satellite Television 16,6% 83,4%
Radio 75,6% 24,4%
Landline / Telephone 7,5% 92,5%
Motor Car 22,4% 77,6%
Refrigerator 67,8% 32,2%
Electric / Gas-Stove 77,6% 22,4%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 74,1% 54,3% 84,7%
Gas 2,7% 2,5% 0,1%
Paraffin 3,5% 2,6% 0,6%
Solar 0,1% 0,1% 0,3%
Candles 0% 0% 14,2%
Wood 16,3% 25,9% 0%
Coal 2,3% 6,9% 0%
Animal Dung 0,9% 1,1% 0%
Other 0% 0% 0%
None 0,2% 6,6% 0,2%
Access Percentage
From Home 3,5%
From Cellphone 15,6%
From Work 2,2%
From Elsewhere 3,9%
No Access 74,7%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 19,9%
Owned and fully paid off 50,4%
Owned but not yet paid off 7,2%
Occupied rent free 20,2%
Other 2,4%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 80,7%
Borehole 14,3%
Spring 0,2%
Rain water tank 0,3%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 0,6%
River/Stream 0,1%
Water vendor 0,6%
Water tanker 2,5%
Other 0,6%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 2,9%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 61,1%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 3,5%
Chemical toilet 0,1%
Pit toilet with ventilation 5,2%
Pit toilet without ventilation 13,7%
Bucket toilet 11,5%
Other 2%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 72,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,5%
Communal refuse dump 3,1%
Own refuse dump 18,6%
No rubbish disposal 3,9%
Other 0,6%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 72,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,5%
Communal refuse dump 3,1%
Own refuse dump 18,6%
No rubbish disposal 3,9%
Other 0,6%
Quick Fact

41,6% Youth unemployment rate.

Quick Fact Image

Agriculture remains the core economic activity in the municipal area, and attracts a lot of job-seekers. The main economic activities in the area are agriculture and retail businesses. Nketoana is a fertile agricultural region and approximately 20,6% of the economically active population is employed in the agricultural sector.

About 7,9% of those who are economically active are employed in the wholesale and retail sector, and a significant portion of the population is employed in the financial and business services sector.

Employment Status Number
Employed 13406
Unemployed 5855
Discouraged Work Seeker 3007
Not Economically Active 15063
Income Percentage
None income 7,2%
R1 - R4,800 5,6%
R4,801 - R9,600 9,8%
R9,601 - R19,600 25,5%
R19,601 - R38,200 26,6%
R38,201 - R76,4000 12,2%
R76,401 - R153,800 6,5%
R153,801 - R307,600 4%
R307,601 - R614,400 1,7%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,5%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,2%
R2,457,601+ 0,2%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 2,269
Poultry production 1,986
Vegetable production 2,147
Production of other crops 1,178
Other 373

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 2,016
Animals only 2,452
Mixed farming 954
Other 72

**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 840
R1-R4 800 261
R4 801-R38 400 3,574
R38 401-R307 200 621
R307 201+ 125
Unspecified 72

Place names

Places in Nketoana Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population60,324
Young (0-14)32,3%
Working Age (15-64)61,9%
Elderly (65+)5,8%
Dependency ratio61,6
Sex ratio90,2
Growth rate-0,27% (2001-2011)
Population density11 persons/km2
Unemployment rate30,4%
Youth unemployment rate41,6%
No schooling aged 20+12,7%
Higher education aged 20+6,7%
Matric aged 20+20,4%
Number of households17,318
Number of Agricultural households5,493
Average household size3,4
Female headed households40,7%
Formal dwellings73,5%
Housing owned/paying off57,5%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage61,1%
Weekly refuse removal72,2%
Piped water inside dwelling28,2%
Electricity for lighting84,7%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population61,951
Young (0-14)34%
Working Age (15-64)61,9%
Elderly (65+)5,4%
Dependency ratio65,2%
Sex ratio88,4
Growth rate-0,74% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate37,7%
Youth unemployment rate52,2%
No schooling aged 20+30%
Higher education aged 20+4,5%
Matric aged 20+12,6%
Number of households14,904
Average household size4,1
Female headed households39,8%
Formal dwellings57,6%
Housing owned/paying off57,6%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage11%
Weekly refuse removal63,8%
Piped water inside dwelling14,2%
Electricity for lighting76,2%