//Khara Hais

Quick Fact

1.82% population growth rate.

Quick Fact Image 1,82% Growth Rate

//Khara Hais Local Municipality is a Category B municipality and is located in the Siyanda District Municipality, which is the second-largest district in the Northern Cape. It is the acknowledged commercial, educational, military, agricultural, medical, transport and tourist center of the area. The unusual spelling of the name of the local municipality, with the // glyph, is a result of the transcription of the click consonant used in the Kxoe language from which the name originates.

The municipality straddles the Orange River. The main towns in this area are Upington, Raaswater, Louisvale, Kalksloot, Leerkrans, Karos and Lambrechtsdrift. Upington is the central town situated 400km west of Kimberley. Upington has an airport and a landing strip. This town plays a very prominent role in the lives of the residents of this local municipality. Upington was established in the 1870s when the Reverend Christiaan Schroder was sent from Cape Town to establish a mission at the request of the Hottentots chieftain Klaas Lucas, who realized the importance of being able to read and write. Shortly after the establishment of the Mission, various pioneer settlers including Japie Lutz and the Reverend Schroder realized that the area was ideal for irrigation development and the first irrigation canals were hand-dug in 1880 – some of which are still in use today. Since then, Upington grew rapidly today, Upington is the Provincial Capital for the Northern Cape Province and as such has taken on a new and important role in the development of the whole region.

Rank By:
124 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Maruleng , Limpopo 94,857 121
Fetakgomo , Limpopo 93,795 122
Ga-Segonyana , Northern Cape 93,651 123
//Khara Hais , Northern Cape 93,494 124
uMngeni , KwaZulu-Natal 92,710 125
Mutale , Limpopo 91,870 126
Joe Morolong , Northern Cape 89,530 127
Quick Fact

7,1% of those 20+ have no schooling.

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The //KharaHaisLocal Municipality hasa total population of 93 494, making it the most populous municipality in Siyanda District Municipality. The coloured population is in the majority,   followed by Africans and then y the white population. The most commonly spoken language is Afrikaans,spoken by  85% of the residents.

Group Percentage
Black African23,1%
Coloured65,2%
Indian/Asian0,7%
White9,9%
Other1,2%
Age Males Females
0-4 5,1% 4,9%
5-9 4,9% 4,9%
10-14 5,1% 4,9%
15-19 5% 4,9%
20-24 4,5% 4,3%
25-29 4,4% 4,1%
30-34 3,8% 3,7%
35-39 3,4% 3,4%
40-44 3,2% 3,4%
45-49 2,6% 2,6%
50-54 2,2% 2,5%
55-59 1,6% 2%
60-64 1,2% 1,6%
65-69 0,8% 1,1%
70-74 0,6% 0,9%
75-79 0,4% 0,6%
80-84 0,2% 0,3%
85+ 0,2% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 85,2%
English 1,9%
IsiNdebele 0,2%
IsiXhosa 5%
IsiZulu 0,3%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 0,9%
Setswana 3,5%
Sign Language 0,3%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0,1%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.8%
Not Applicable 1,5%
Group Percentage
Married 23,4%
Living together like married partners 7,4%
Never married 63,4%
Widower/Widow 4,2%
Separated 0,5%
Divorced 1,2%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,5%
Some Primary 43,7%
Completed Primary 6,8%
Some Secondary 32,5%
Completed Secondary 10,9%
Higher Education 1%
Not Applicable 1,6%
Sex Percentage
Female 50,7%
Male 49,3%
Quick Fact

91,1% Use electricity for lighting.

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//Khara Hais Municipality was awarded the recognition of being one of the top three performing municipalities, through its applicationof the AbantuBayalawula principle: to go the extra mile in working with the communities.  Upington and its people are the source of the region’s success.Owing to Upington’s strategic location, a pollution-free climate and //Khara Hais Municipality’s comprehensive plan including incentives, Upington offers business opportunities for business, entrepreneurs and tourists.

Area Percentage
Urban 94,7%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 5,3%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 83,1% 16,9%
Computer 22,1% 77,9%
Television 78,4% 21,6%
Satellite Television 38,5% 61,5%
Radio 56,4% 43,6%
Landline / Telephone 16,1% 83,9%
Motor Car 33,6% 66,4%
Refrigerator 76,1% 23,9%
Electric / Gas-Stove 90,9% 9,1%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 87% 72% 91,1%
Gas 6,3% 2,1% 0,1%
Paraffin 0,8% 0,5% 0,9%
Solar 0,2% 0,2% 1,2%
Candles 0% 0% 6,4%
Wood 5,3% 11,8% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,2% 0%
Animal Dung 0% 0,1% 0%
Other 0% 0% 0%
None 0,3% 13,1% 0,2%
Access Percentage
From Home 7,6%
From Cellphone 12,9%
From Work 4,5%
From Elsewhere 2,1%
No Access 72,9%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 18,7%
Owned and fully paid off 40,8%
Owned but not yet paid off 13,3%
Occupied rent free 23,3%
Other 4%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 90,8%
Borehole 2,3%
Spring 0,1%
Rain water tank 0,2%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 0,7%
River/Stream 2,3%
Water vendor 0,5%
Water tanker 0,9%
Other 2,3%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 5%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 68,3%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 6,4%
Chemical toilet 0,2%
Pit toilet with ventilation 3,7%
Pit toilet without ventilation 5,1%
Bucket toilet 10,9%
Other 0,5%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 87,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 2%
Communal refuse dump 0,4%
Own refuse dump 6,8%
No rubbish disposal 2,4%
Other 1,2%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 87,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 2%
Communal refuse dump 0,4%
Own refuse dump 6,8%
No rubbish disposal 2,4%
Other 1,2%
Quick Fact

29% Youth unemployment rate.

Quick Fact Image

The wine industry is the highest contributorto the municipality’s  economy; and it is also more dominant in Upington. Most of Upington’s wines are produced by Orange River Wine Cellars (OWC). The company has six depots in the area (all of them on the banks of the Orange River) at Upington, Kanoneiland, Grootdrink, Kakamas, Keimoes and Groblershoop. The wines from OWC are exported, mainly to Europe and the USA. A number of privately owned cellars also exist in the area. The //Khara Hais region accounts for more or less 40% of South Africa’s grape exports.Tourism is contributing tothe economy of the municipality through places like Die Eiland holiday resort
The economy of Upington relies heavily on agriculture, tourism and the services industry. Many large companies in the wine industry, table grapes, dried fruit and livestock farming have their head offices in Upington. All major South African banks are represented in Upington and numerous shops and retail outlets cater for most needs.

Employment Status Number
Employed 25123
Unemployed 7110
Discouraged Work Seeker 2290
Not Economically Active 25902
Income Percentage
None income 10,5%
R1 - R4,800 2,6%
R4,801 - R9,600 4,3%
R9,601 - R19,600 16,3%
R19,601 - R38,200 21,2%
R38,201 - R76,4000 16,5%
R76,401 - R153,800 12,5%
R153,801 - R307,600 9,8%
R307,601 - R614,400 4,5%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 1,1%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,4%
R2,457,601+ 0,3%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 1,002
Poultry production 1,010
Vegetable production 317
Production of other crops 583
Other 361

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 467
Animals only 1,350
Mixed farming 309
Other 116

**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 424
R1-R4 800 48
R4 801-R38 400 1,016
R38 401-R307 200 526
R307 201+ 134
Unspecified 95

Place names

Places in //Khara Hais Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population93,494
Young (0-14)29,8%
Working Age (15-64)64,6%
Elderly (65+)5,5%
Dependency ratio54,7
Sex ratio97
Growth rate1,82% (2001-2011)
Population density4 persons/km2
Unemployment rate22,1%
Youth unemployment rate29%
No schooling aged 20+7,1%
Higher education aged 20+7,8%
Matric aged 20+26%
Number of households23,245
Number of Agricultural households2,243
Average household size3,9
Female headed households40,5%
Formal dwellings75,2%
Housing owned/paying off54,1%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage68,3%
Weekly refuse removal87,2%
Piped water inside dwelling56%
Electricity for lighting91,1%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population77,919
Young (0-14)31,7%
Working Age (15-64)64,6%
Elderly (65+)5,3%
Dependency ratio58,7%
Sex ratio95,5
Growth rate-0,73% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate34%
Youth unemployment rate42,3%
No schooling aged 20+13,6%
Higher education aged 20+5,9%
Matric aged 20+20,9%
Number of households17,934
Average household size4,1
Female headed households34,1%
Formal dwellings81,2%
Housing owned/paying off55,3%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage68,6%
Weekly refuse removal79,3%
Piped water inside dwelling38,7%
Electricity for lighting73,6%