Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality

MDB code: MAN Area: 9 886km²

Geography, History & Economy

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality. It is situated in the Free State Province, in the central interior of South Africa. The Free State is bordered by the Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West Provinces, as well as by the neighbouring country of Lesotho. Mangaung, meaning ‘Place of the Cheetahs’, accentuates the vibrant, dynamic and energetic character of the tourism industry in the ‘At the Heart of it All’.
The economy is strongly driven by the government sector, which has seen the fastest growth in the last five years as a result of increased government programmes in livelihoods improvement interventions. The finance sector is the second-fastest growing sector due to very active estate and construction activities.
Small businesses have a major role to play in the South African, and especially the Mangaung, economy in terms of employment creation, income generation and output growth. It is estimated that more than 12 million people in South Africa are actively involved in the SMME sector, which accounts for approximately 60% of all employment in the economy and 40% of output.
In an area such as Mangaung, with its relatively high levels of unemployment and poverty, it can be expected that the SMME sector plays an even more important role in job creation and poverty alleviation. The informal economy makes an important contribution to the economic and social life of Mangaung. Due to the decline in formal employment and consequent increase in unemployment, many people seek alternative means of earning an income.

Cities/Towns:

Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, Dewetsdorp, Mangaung, Soutpan, Thaba Nchu, Van Stadensrus, Wepener

Main Economic Sectors:

Community services (35.3%), finance (26.8%), trade (16%), transport (11.8%), manufacturing (3.5%)