Gamagara Local Municipality
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Gamagara | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
.svg) Location in the Northern Cape | |
| Coordinates: 27°40′S 23°00′E / 27.667°S 23.000°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| District | John Taolo Gaetsewe |
| Seat | Kathu |
| Wards | 8 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | Henriette du Plessis[2] (DA) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,619 km2 (1,011 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[3] | |
• Total | 29,580 |
| • Density | 11.29/km2 (29.25/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2022) | |
| • Black African | 46.2% |
| • Coloured | 33.8% |
| • Indian/Asian | 1.1% |
| • White | 18.8% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 53.9% |
| • Tswana | 33.7% |
| • English | 3.6% |
| • Sotho | 1.4% |
| • Other | 7.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Municipal code | NC453 |
| Website | gamagara |
Gamagara Municipality (Afrikaans: Gamagara Munisipaliteit; Tswana: Mmasepala wa Gamagara) is a local municipality within the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa.[5]
The name Gamogara is of Setswana origin. The municipality is named after a dry river which was in turn named after a man called Mogara of the Makwere clan (Batlhaping). During the early days of exploration, Mogara was the first person to settle in this part of the country.
After 1887, the area became dominated by White farmers who then changed the name as they were unable to pronounce it correctly. Hence it was called Gamagara instead of Gamogara.
The name is derived from a dry river that ran from Dibeng to join the Kuruman (Segonyana) river at Dikgatlong tsa ga Kganyile. Incidentally, this is the route the Ba ga Motlhware followed on their way to their headquarters, Maje a Mokhothu (Langeberg).[6]
Main places
The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[7]
| Place | Code | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dibeng | 32401 | 8.58 | 4,023 |
| Dingleton | 32402 | 1.56 | 2,866 |
| Ditloung | 31903 | 0.62 | 3,044 |
| Kathu | 32404 | 8.53 | 8,247 |
| Olifantshoek | 31907 | 3.51 | 3,985 |
| Remainder of the municipality | 32403 | 2,449.38 | 1,048 |
Demographics
According to the 2022 South African census, the municipality had a population of 29,580 people. Of these, 46.2% identified as "Black African," 33.8% as "Coloured," and 18.8 as "White."[8]
Household income
Gamagara is the municipality with the highest average taxable income in the entirety of South Africa. This is as a result of a small tax base and highly lucrative employment opportunities. Mining town and rail jobs related to the iron ore industry are known to often be well-paid, and average taxable income across a small population is therefore skewed by a small number of high earners.[9]
In January 2026, according to the South African Revenue Service, Gamagara's average taxable income across its 10,979 taxpayers was R508,901 - significantly (57%) above the national average of just over R323,000.[10]
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