The area is known as the Mafikeng Local Municipality (NW383) and is situated in the North West Province 20 kilometers south of the Botswana Border. It is the Capital City of North West Province and used to be known as the City Council of Mafikeng. The municipality is a considerably big local municipality as compared to other four local municipalities (Category B Municipalities) constituting Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality established in terms of the Municipal Demarcation Act (Act No. 27 of 1998). Those neighboring local municipalities which border the Ngaka Modiri-Molema District Municipality are: Ramotsere Moiloa Local Municipality, Tswaing Local Municipality, Ditsobotla Local Municipality and Ratlou Local Municipality. The total area of the Mafikeng Local Municipality is approximately 3 703km². It is divided into 28 Wards consisting of 102 villages and suburbs. According to the Community Survey by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the population of the municipality is estimated at 290 228 people.