Thulamela Municipality is a Category B municipality established in terms of Local Government Structures Act number 117 of 1998. Thulamela Municipality is one of the four local municipalities comprising Vhembe District Municipality.

Thulamela Municipality shares the boundary in the south east with Collins Chabane Municipality while sharing the border’s with Musina Municipality in the north east and Makhado Municipality in the west.

Thulamela covers 2 893.936 km2: 22° 57 ́ S 30° 29 ́ E
Thulamela Municipality is a municipality area covering vast track of lands mainly tribal, and Thohoyandou is its
political, administrative and commercial centre. In terms of population it is the second largest of all the municipalities in Limpopo Province. The political leadership of the municipality is vested in the Municipal Council comprising of 81 Councillors of whom 41 are Ward or directly elected Councillors, 40 Proportional Representative (PR), representing political parties on the strength of their performance in the August 2016 Local Government Elections. Municipal Code is LIM 343. The Mayor chairs Executive Committee meetings, while the Speaker presides over Council meetings.

Additional members of Council are 7 Senior Traditional Leaders or their representatives who sit on the Council as Ex-Officio representing the traditional systems of governance. There are 6 Departments that form the basis of Administration. Administration is responsible for strategic day to day operational matters of the municipality, implementation of Council’s decisions, as well as providing technical, professional support and advice to the Council.