Jan Kempdorp is an idyllic town serving the southern section of the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme. It is situated 95 km’s north of Kimberley, the provincial capital, and 45 km’s west of Christiana in North West province.

Jan Kempdorp was originally named Andalusia, after the farm on which it was established. The town started to develop in 1938 and was proclaimed in 1953. It was then named after General Johannes C J Kemp, a former Minister of Lands. The town is located right on the border between two provinces, which originally caused confusion in terms of its administration. In 1964, however, it was decided that it would fall under the authority of the Cape (which is now the Northern Cape). (GPS coordinates: 27.9354 S, 24.807 E).

Jan Kempdorp is part of the Phokwane Local Municipality is which is a Category B municipality situated within the Frances Baard District in the Northern Cape Province. It is the smallest of the four municipalities in the district, making up 6% of its geographical area.

The municipality is situated 125 km’s along the N18 to Vryburg. The administrative seat of the municipality is Hartswater. The majority of inhabitants are found in the peri-urban areas of the municipality. In terms of agriculture, Phokwane exports grape, citrus and olive products.

The municipality is named after Queen Phokwane, the wife of Kgosi Galeshewe of the Barolong boo Ra-Tlhaping tribe. Phokwane is nestled in the lush green delta of the Hartswater region and boasts the second-largest irrigation scheme in the Southern Hemisphere, namely the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme.

Area: 828km²

Cities/Towns in this Local Municipality are Hartswater, Jan Kempdorp and Pampierstat

Main Economic Sectors: Agriculture, community development, retail, private household, informal.

Key Statistics 2011

Total population 24,220
Young (0-14) 32%
Working Age (15-64) 62%
Elderly (65+) 6%
Dependency ratio 61,3
Sex ratio 95,3
Population density 1270 persons/km2
No schooling aged 20+ 19,2%
Higher education aged 20+ 4%
Matric aged 20+ 21,4%
Number of households 6,167
Average household size 3,9
Female headed households 37%
Formal dwellings 73,2%
Housing owned/paying off 75%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage 71,7%
Weekly refuse removal 55,9%
Piped water inside dwelling 32,2%
Electricity for lighting 84,7%

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