Thulamela Municipality (; ) is a local municipality within the Vhembe District Municipality, in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Its municipal boundaries were greatly altered after the 2016 municipal elections when much of the area that formerly belonged to the municipality, including the town of Malamulele, was incorporated into the newly formed Collins Chabane Local Municipality. It is named after the Thulamela ruins located near the Pafuri Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Main places The 2011 census divided the municipality into the following main places:adrianfrith.com from Statistics South Africa Place Code Population Area (km2)Begwa 966015 2,066 3.32Budeli 966163 2,362 9.24Buluni 966042 382 1.08Damani 966052 1,336 3.83Dididi 966180 2,312 2.94Dimani 966044 807 1.92Dlamini 966123 146 0.50Dopeni 966102 6,560 15.15Doveni 966176 318 1.28Dumasi 966149 2,154 2.60Duthuni 966166 6,345 6.70Dzindi 966192 2,787 2.03Dzingahe 966121 2,862 2.14Dzivhadolo 966039 1,566 2.73Dzwaboni 966021 597 1.87Dzwerani 966205 5,964 14.12Fondwe 966105 1,798 4.18Gaba 966018 6,340 10.44Gonani 966048 372 1.48Gondeni A 966135 5,391 4.96Gondeni B 966114 1,471 3.10Ha-Lambani 966007 3,450 18.68Ha-Matsika 966081 1,120 1.68Ha-Radali 966079 2,052 2.79Hatshisele 966151 4,382 3.20Itsani 966170 11,473 6.89Khakhanwa 966188 1,355 1.62Khakhu 966066 142 0.88Khalavha 966106 3,237 5.97Khambela 966095 65 0.52Khubvi 966051 10,271 11.50Kruger National Park 966155 55 2935.88Lambani 966012 1,881 3.92Lamvi 966001 1,530 9.83Lufule 966142 1,617 1.38Lukalo 966016 1,532 2.75Lutomboni 966085 529 0.75Luvhimbi 966035 2,296 8.50Lwamondo 966171 20,218 20.72Mabokoro 966217 545 0.41Madzimu 966045 5,213 3.80Mahunguhwi 966025 394 2.54Makahlule 966113 1,865 1.73Makhumbe 966006 56 1.17Makhuvha A 966148 1,050 2.29Makhuvha B 966073 5,394 5.05Makonde 966034 6,077 12.59Makovha 966195 2,083 2.36Makumbane 966167 2,219 2.33Makwarani 966068 867 5.36Malamangwa 966115 495 2.86Malamhala 966204 1,211 1.00Malavuwe 966087 2,362 2.78Manamane 966193 2,897 3.71Maname 966063 204 0.93Mandala 966104 3,078 3.51Manele 966186 1,658 1.60Mangondi A 966147 2,373 5.33Mangondi B 966088 1,275 1.88Manyuwa 966156 135 1.29Manzemba 966043 608 1.26Mapate 966177 3,608 3.57Maranzhe 966125 1,764 3.61Maraxwe 966031 943 1.03Mashawana 966202 551 1.21Masiwane 966041 1,257 1.98Matangari 966028 4,062 7.63Maungani 966130 7,271 7.487Mavhuwa 966027 55 1.12Mavunde 966005 1,573 3.84Mbahe 966111 982 2.99Mbahela 966032 852 0.81Mbilwi 966133 5,077 3.73Mianzwi 966030 1,928 2.39Milaboni 966098 343 0.81Mphego 966153 3,003 2.36Mubvumoni 966014 2,086 5.15Mudunungu 966099 1,366 1.35Mudzidzidzi 966060 400 1.08Muhotoni 966033 672 0.73Muhuyu 966046 698 1.25Mukhomi 966207 3,810 3.24Mukomasiandu 966117 764 1.28Mukondeni 966003 61 1.09Mukula 966071 8,209 10.41Mukumbani 966080 2,431 3.04Mulenzhe 966164 2,566 9.03Munangwe 966036 365 0.46Muraga 966124 1,472 2.29Mushiru 966017 647 1.21Mutoti 966162 904 1.85Mutshenzheni 966011 1,062 3.61Mutshetshe 966020 673 1.05Mvelaphanda 966206 1,563 1.11Nghomunghom 966157 1,799 1.20Ngovhela 966129 6,296 7.82Ngudza 966120 2,855 3.74Ngwenani 966077 6,254 7.15Phiphidi 966128 9,795 9.99Phugeni 966152 1,512 1.35Sambandou 966008 826 2.03Saselamani 966069 3,727 1.84Shanzha 966103 631 3.05Shayandima 966169 10,259 6.15Siambe 966138 2,565 3.29Sindande 966070 70 1.38Sterkstroom 966118 39 0.05Tambaulate 966198 269 0.85Thathe Vondo 966090 94 0.65Thembaluvhilo 966057 43 0.09Thenzheni 966047 1,845 2.62Thohoyandou 966131 69,453 42.62Thononda 966082 1,944 2.43Thulamela NU 966050 1,399 2140.39Tshabvuma 966002 2,168 1.93Tshamutavha 966108 184 0.81Tshamutilikwa 966110 814 1.06Tshaulu 966019 2,077 2.49Tshiavha 966053 126 0.09Tshidimbini 966072 2,501 2.47Tshidzate 966172 781 0.81Tshidzini 966054 3,852 7.22Tshidzivhe 966067 845 2.19Tshififi 966137 2,468 4.15Tshifudi 966038 2,343 3.47Tshihalwe 966022 568 0.78Tshiheni 966096 1,435 4.97Tshiiwani 966061 227 1.10Tshikambe 966055 471 1.16Tshikhudini 966150 1,464 1.29Tshikombani 966100 4,084 4.29Tshikonelo 966091 4,809 7.20Tshikovha 966178 2,074 1.75Tshikunda 966127 2,177 2.93Tshikweta 966141 814 0.54Tshilapfene 966078 1,495 2.01Tshilungoma 966154 2,526 3.13Tshilungwi 966065 663 1.40Tshiombo 966029 1,415 1.58Tshipako 966064 800 2.17Tshirenzheni 966101 1,248 2.08Tshisahulu 966168 7,342 5.97Tshisinise 966112 81 0.17Tshitanini 966122 227 1.02Tshitavha 966010 2,123 3.51Tshitereke 966075 5,788 7.40Tshithuthuni 966084 2,031 2.84Tshivhilidulu 966107 1,339 2.35Tshivhilwi 966056 4,334 5.00Tshivhulani 966132 2,675 2.13Tswera 966023 1,001 2.23Tswinga 966179 3,948 6.41Vhudimbilu 966116 658 1.64Vhufuli 966076 3,626 4.23Vhurivhuri 966004 2,215 7.49Vhutalu 966059 430 0.93Vondo 966126 766 1.98Vondwe 966074 6,521 5.95Xaswita 966145 680 0.84
Politics
The municipal council consists of eighty-one members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Forty-one councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in forty-one wards, while the remaining forty are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a majority of 71 seats on the council.
The following table shows the results of the election.
Mismanagement The Makhuvha Sports Complex was opened in 2012 at a cost of R22 million. It consists of soccer grounds, a stadium and two swimming pools. However, the two swimming pools were never used, and as of November 2025, the pitch is overgrown.
References
External links Official website