The municipal area serves as a convenient gateway to the Kruger National Park and the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park through the Mozambique Channel.

Vision
Growing the economy and creating employment through tourism.

Mission
• To ensure financial viability, sound administration and accountable governance in order to attract investors
• To render all stakeholders with quality, affordable infrastructure and services for
enhancing a safe and better life for all
• To manage the environment for sustainable economic growth

Slogan
‘Jewel of Wildlife tourism’

General overview
Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality is situated in the northeastern part of Limpopo Province in the Mopani District. It has a geographical area of 3 004.88 square kilometres and serves as a convenient gateway to the Kruger National Park and the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park through the Mozambique Channel and Zimbabwe.

It is a Category B Municipality made up of 16 Wards with 32 Councillors. Nearly 90% of the population in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality live within the 15km radius from the urban core of Phalaborwa.

In terms of the Limpopo Spatial Rationale, Phalaborwa is a provincial growth point,
Namakgale and Gravelotte are district growth points and Lulekani is a municipal growth point. The municipality has embarked on a robust rural and township rejuvenation programme in partnership with the National Treasury.

Road access
The R71 route leads from the Kruger National Park, snaking through the Magoebaskloof Mountains to join the N1 national road, which links Gauteng and Limpopo. The R71 route also serves as the supply link to the Kruger Canyon, Rixile Culture to Kruger route and Bush-to-Beach routes, which connect South Africa and Mozambique through the
Giriyondo border post.

Main access roads are the R71 from Tzaneen in the west and the R40 from Hoedspruit in the south. The secondary road stretches for 40km from Hans Merensky Nature Reserve in the west, along the Letaba River to the northern gate of Letaba Ranch.

Water and sanitation
Ba-Phalaborwa draws its water from the Letaba and Olifants Rivers. Almost all of the population of the municipal area is served by means of water extracted from these two sources.

Sewage
Forty-seven percent of the Ba-Phalaborwa population is provided with water-borne
sewage services.

Airport
The Phalaborwa airport is serviced by Airlink, with two scheduled flights per day. The runway can accommodate aircraft with a maximum of 27 passengers, but can be extended. The much larger Hoedspruit airport is 75km away.

Railway
Freight out of the province is eight million tones per year – mostly phosphate that is railed to Richards Bay. Incoming rail is 90% empty. The capacity of the line is 12 million tonnes per year, but Transnet Freight Rail does not have sufficient rolling stock to run the line at full capacity.

Air quality
Air quality in the municipality is generally very good.

Economy of the region
Mining is the main source of income; however, the tourism industry is growing, with the area striving to become a conservancy town in the near future. The municipality was declared first runner-up in the recent Greenest Municipalities Competition.

Tourism
Tourist attractions in Ba-Phalaborwa include the Hans Merensky Spa and Golf Estate, Letaba Ranch Game Reserve, Hans Merensky Nature Reserve in Eiland, Kruger National Park, river safaris, game drives, the unique heritage sites of the Ba-Phalaborwa people and the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The area has one of the most unique airports in the country designed to blend in with the adjacent wilderness of the Kruger National Park.

Rural development
The municipality is committed to rural development and food security for its
communities. Among others, it supports the Mponeng Poultry project.

Unemployment
The municipality aims to create 500 permanent jobs and 2 000 temporary jobs across the municipal area.

Environment
A large proportion of the municipal area is under formal conservation, including the Hans Merensky and Letaba Nature Reserves, as well as the Selati Game Reserve. The Kruger National Park borders the municipal area to the east.

Biodiversity
Due to the presence of large conservation areas, faunal biodiversity is generally high, although the vegetation types that are characteristic in the municipal area generally reflect low biodiversity.

Environmental opportunities
There are opportunities to promote biodiversity corridors and cultural assets aimed at the tourist market. Environmental-awareness education has proven itself as an investment
with high developmental returns. There are also opportunities to work with major local mining companies to develop an effective, environmental management information system with an appropriate response capability.

Local economic development opportunities
Mining
Reclamation of mining dumps of magnetite, gypsum, ilmenite and antimony at Gravelotte

Tourism
• Construction of an international mid-range hotel at the gate to the Kruger Park
• Promotion of the marula industry
• Position Phalaborwa as a tourism development centre for the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park
• Development of wildlife tourism throughout Ba-Phalaborwa
• Promotion of tourist entertainment facilities in Namakgale, Lulekani and Bollanoto Boulevard

Agriculture
Game and cattle farming

Manufacturing
The marula cluster value chain and magnetite beneficiation

Contact details
Key contact people
• Mudunungu Gloria Dzunisani, Mayor
• Ntshavheni Khumbudzo, Municipal Manager
Tel: +27 15 780 6300 Fax : +27 15 781 0726
Email: phalamun@lantic.net
Physical address: cnr Nelson Mandela and Selati Roads, Phalaborwa 1390
Postal address: Private Bag X01020, Phalaborwa 1390
Website: www.ba-phalaborwa.gov.za