Geography, History & Economy
Thaba Chweu Local Municipality is part of Ehlanzeni District Municipality.
MDB code: MP321
Description: The Thaba Chweu Local Municipality is a Category B municipality located in the north-western region of the Mpumalanga Province in the Ehlanzeni District. It is one of four municipalities in the district. It came into being after the December 5th 2000 local government elections.
The escarpment divides the district into eastern and western halves. The western half (Lydenburg district) is dominated by agricultural and farming activities, while forestry is the main economic activity of the eastern half (Sabie/Graskop district).
Thaba Chweu is one of the major tourist attraction areas in South Africa. Mashishing (previously Lydenburg) is the oldest town in the province, and a hub of heritage where the famous Lydenburg Heads, which are said to date back to 400AD, were found in the 1950s. Also found here are old stone houses. Most of all, this is the home of trout fishing.
Graskop is home to the Three Rondavels, The Blyde Canyon, Potholes, God’s Window, The Pinnacle, Berlin, Lisbon, and Graskop Falls, all of which are World Heritage Sites, and form the Panorama Route. In the Sabie area, when travelling east of Mashishing through the Long Tom Pass, there are hectares of pine plantations. These mountains are part of the Drakensberg Mountain Range.
Area: 5 719km²
Cities/Towns: Graskop, Lydenburg, Mashishing, Pilgrim’s Rest, Sabie
Main Economic Sectors: Mining, forestry, agriculture, business services, tourism