Greater Tzaneen

Quick Fact

Greater Tzaneen Municipality has a population size of 390 095.

Quick Fact Image 0,38% Growth rate

Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality is situated in the eastern quadrant of Limpopo within the Mopani District Municipality area of jurisdiction. It is bordered by Polokwane to the west, Greater Letaba to the north, Ba-Phalaborwa and Maruleng to the east and Lepelle-Nkumpi to the south. It contains 125 rural villages, with almost 80% of households residing in these villages. The area encompasses the main towns of Tzaneen, Nkowankowa, Lenyenye, Letsitele and Haenertsburg.

Greater Tzaneen Municipality is named after Tzaneen town which was surveyed and planned by surveyor H Manaschewitz in 1919. The origin of the name Tzaneen is not clear.

Rank By:
15 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
City of Matlosana , North West 398,676 12
Emalahleni , Mpumalanga 395,466 13
Nkomazi , Mpumalanga 393,030 14
Greater Tzaneen , Limpopo 390,095 15
Newcastle , KwaZulu-Natal 363,236 16
Mogale City , Gauteng 362,422 17
Maluti a Phofung , Free State 335,784 18
Quick Fact

18,7% of those 20+ have no schooling.

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Greater Tzaneen Municipality has a population size of 390 095, which is the largest municipality in terms of population contribution (36%) in the Mopani District. 96% of the population areblack African, with whites second at 3%, and coloureds  less than 100 in number as per Census 2011 results. For every 100 women there are94 men. Most of the people speak Sepedi as afirst language at 46,0%, followed by Xitsonga at 40,7%.Other official languages make up 13,2%.

Group Percentage
Black African96,4%
Coloured0,2%
Indian/Asian0,4%
White3%
Other0,1%
Age Males Females
0-4 6,2% 6,2%
5-9 4,8% 4,9%
10-14 5,1% 4,8%
15-19 5,6% 5,5%
20-24 5,3% 5,1%
25-29 4,1% 4,6%
30-34 3,1% 3,7%
35-39 2,6% 3,5%
40-44 2,2% 3,1%
45-49 1,9% 1,9%
50-54 1,5% 2,2%
55-59 1,3% 1,8%
60-64 1,1% 1,4%
65-69 0,7% 1,1%
70-74 0,5% 1%
75-79 0,3% 0,7%
80-84 0,2% 0,6%
85+ 0,2% 0,5%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 2,6%
English 1,6%
IsiNdebele 0,2%
IsiXhosa 0,1%
IsiZulu 0,4%
Sepedi 46%
Sesotho 4,3%
Setswana 0,2%
Sign Language 0,2%
SiSwati 0,2%
Tshivenda 0,4%
Xitsonga 40,8%
Other 2.6%
Not Applicable 0,4%
Group Percentage
Married 17,7%
Living together like married partners 9,2%
Never married 67,1%
Widower/Widow 4,3%
Separated 1,1%
Divorced 0,7%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 2,5%
Some Primary 42,4%
Completed Primary 6,4%
Some Secondary 37,3%
Completed Secondary 9,9%
Higher Education 1,2%
Not Applicable 0,2%
Sex Percentage
Female 53,5%
Male 46,5%
Quick Fact

86,2% Use electricity for lighting.

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Greater Tzaneen Municipality had a total of 108 926 households in 2011, which represents an increase of 19 092 households compared to 2001(89 831). A total of 56 884 households or 52% are headed by males, while 52 052 households or 48%  are female-headed households. A total of 208 households are headed by children. 41% of the total population in the municipality does not have any source of income. 45% of those whoearn an income are below the minimum living levels of R1 600,00 per month.

Area Percentage
Urban 11,4%
Tribal/Traditional 82%
Farm 6,6%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 87,9% 12,1%
Computer 11,5% 88,5%
Television 68,8% 31,2%
Satellite Television 17,7% 82,3%
Radio 62,9% 37,1%
Landline / Telephone 3,7% 96,3%
Motor Car 18,2% 81,8%
Refrigerator 66,2% 33,8%
Electric / Gas-Stove 62,6% 37,4%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 47,3% 42% 86,2%
Gas 1% 0,6% 0,2%
Paraffin 1,3% 0,6% 0,4%
Solar 0,1% 0,1% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 12,4%
Wood 50% 35,5% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,2% 0%
Animal Dung 0% 0,1% 0%
Other 0% 0% 0%
None 0,2% 21% 0,6%
Access Percentage
From Home 3,6%
From Cellphone 14,5%
From Work 2%
From Elsewhere 3,5%
No Access 76,5%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 12,2%
Owned and fully paid off 52,3%
Owned but not yet paid off 5%
Occupied rent free 26,9%
Other 3,6%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 44,1%
Borehole 18,8%
Spring 2,8%
Rain water tank 0,7%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 11,2%
River/Stream 8,8%
Water vendor 6,1%
Water tanker 2,3%
Other 5,2%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 11,2%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 15,3%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 2,6%
Chemical toilet 1,4%
Pit toilet with ventilation 19,2%
Pit toilet without ventilation 48,2%
Bucket toilet 0,3%
Other 1,7%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 14,7%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,9%
Communal refuse dump 0,9%
Own refuse dump 69,1%
No rubbish disposal 13%
Other 1,3%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 14,7%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,9%
Communal refuse dump 0,9%
Own refuse dump 69,1%
No rubbish disposal 13%
Other 1,3%
Quick Fact

48,5% Youth unemployment rate.

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There are 27 051 people that are economically active (employed or unemployed but looking for work), and of these, 36,7% are unemployed.

Of the 11 948 economically active youth (15–34 years) in the area, 48,5% are unemployed.

Employment Status Number
Employed 73482
Unemployed 42537
Discouraged Work Seeker 13421
Not Economically Active 114156
Income Percentage
None income 13,4%
R1 - R4,800 7%
R4,801 - R9,600 11,9%
R9,601 - R19,600 25%
R19,601 - R38,200 22%
R38,201 - R76,4000 8,8%
R76,401 - R153,800 5%
R153,801 - R307,600 3,9%
R307,601 - R614,400 2,1%
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 8,809
Poultry production 12,062
Vegetable production 11,537
Production of other crops 13,475
Other 2,845

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 17,536
Animals only 12,970
Mixed farming 5,073
Other 1,214

**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 12,608
R1-R4 800 1,459
R4 801-R38 400 18,594
R38 401-R307 200 3,386
R307 201+ 309
Unspecified 436

Place names

Places in Greater Tzaneen Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population390,095
Young (0-14)31,8%
Working Age (15-64)62,4%
Elderly (65+)5,7%
Dependency ratio60,1
Sex ratio87,1
Growth rate0,38% (2001-2011)
Population density120 persons/km2
Unemployment rate36,7%
Youth unemployment rate48,5%
No schooling aged 20+18,7%
Higher education aged 20+8,7%
Matric aged 20+21,8%
Number of households108,926
Number of Agricultural households36,793
Average household size3,5
Female headed households47,8%
Formal dwellings92,4%
Housing owned/paying off57,3%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage15,3%
Weekly refuse removal14,7%
Piped water inside dwelling16,1%
Electricity for lighting86,2%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population375,586
Young (0-14)36,2%
Working Age (15-64)62,4%
Elderly (65+)4,9%
Dependency ratio70%
Sex ratio83,7
Growth rate1,84% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate42,4%
Youth unemployment rate54,3%
No schooling aged 20+35,2%
Higher education aged 20+6,5%
Matric aged 20+12,7%
Number of households85,993
Average household size3,8
Female headed households51,5%
Formal dwellings68,8%
Housing owned/paying off50,3%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage16,1%
Weekly refuse removal15%
Piped water inside dwelling8,1%
Electricity for lighting69,1%