Local municipality (South Africa)

In South Africa, a local municipality (Tswana: mmasepalaselegae; Sotho: masepala wa lehae; Northern Sotho: mmasepala wa selegae; Afrikaans: plaaslike munisipaliteit; Zulu: umasipala wendawo; Southern Ndebele: umasipaladi wendawo; Xhosa: umasipala wengingqi; Swazi: masipaladi wasekhaya; Venda: masipalawapo; Tsonga: masipala wa muganga) or Category B municipality is a type of municipality that serves as the third, and most local, tier of local government.

A local municipality may include rural areas as well as one or more towns or small cities.

The Constitution defines the areas and topics for which municipal governments are responsible.

For analytical and statistical purposes, local municipalities are classified into four categories:[1][2] For census and statistical purposes, local municipalities are divided into "Main Places".

[3] Those areas that do not fall within any of the above are incorporated in a main place named for the municipality.