Mamelodi

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title: "Mamelodi" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["townships-in-gauteng", "university-of-pretoria-campus", "populated-places-in-the-city-of-tshwane", "populated-places-established-in-1945"] topic_path: "society/education" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamelodi" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Mamelodi
image_skyline	Mamelodi.JPG
image_caption	Mamelodi
pushpin_map	South Africa Gauteng#South Africa#Africa
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	South Africa
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	Gauteng
subdivision_type2	District
subdivision_type3	Municipality
subdivision_name3	City of Tshwane
subdivision_type4	Main Place
established_title	Established
established_date	1945
leader_title	Councillor
area_footnotes
area_total_km2	45.19
population_footnotes
population_total	1,500,000
population_as_of	2024
population_density_km2	auto
	demographics_type1
demographics1_footnotes
demographics1_title1	Black African
demographics1_info1	98.9%
demographics1_title2	Coloured
demographics1_info2	0.4%
demographics1_title3	Indian/Asian
demographics1_info3	0.2%
demographics1_title4	White
demographics1_info4	0.1%
demographics1_title5	Other
demographics1_info5	0.3%
	demographics_type2
demographics2_footnotes
demographics2_title1	Northern Sotho
demographics2_info1	42.3%
demographics2_title2	Zulu
demographics2_info2	12.2%
demographics2_title3	Tsonga
demographics2_info3	10.7%
demographics2_title4	S. Ndebele
demographics2_info4	8.8%
demographics2_title5	Other
demographics2_info5	26.0%
	timezone1
utc_offset1	+2
postal_code_type	Postal code (street)
postal_code	0122
postal2_code_type	PO box
postal2_code	0101
area_code_type	Area code
area_code	+27 (0)12
website	www.powerfulone.webs.com
official_name	Mams
::

Etymology

"Mamelodi" is the name derived from the Sepedi word with the prefix being "ma" meaning mother, and the suffix "melodi" meaning melodies. Its meaning can be translated to mean Mother of Melodies.

History

The township was established when 16 houses were built on the farm Vlakfontein in June 1953 and later the name changed to Mamelodi. The Group Areas Act designated Mamelodi as a blacks-only area, though this became moot with the fall of Apartheid in 1994. In the 1960s black citizens were forcefully removed from the suburb of Lady Selbourne in Pretoria to Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa and Atteridgeville. Anti-apartheid activist Reverend Nico Smith preached in Mamelodi from 1982 to 1989, and obtained permission to live there himself from 1985 to 1989. During that period, he and his wife Ellen were the only whites legally allowed to live in Mamelodi. The township still has vastly more blacks than any other group as of 2010.

Since 2001 Mamelodi has had a large AIDS outreach program helping several thousand orphans in the community. Mamelodi is home to the largest AIDS Hospice Center in South Africa with 140 beds available free of charge.

Education

Primary schools

Mononong Primary School
Moretele Primary School
Agnes Chidi Primary School
Dr Monare Primary School
Mveledzo Primary School
Sikhanyisele Primary School
Meetse A Bophelo Primary School
Mogale Primary School
Bula-Dikgoro School
Ramahlale Primary School
Bajabulile Primary School
Pula-difate Primary School
Tlakukani Primary School
F.F. Ribeiro Primary School
N'wavangani Primary School
Mahlasedi Masana Primary School
Boikgantsho Primary School
Motheo Primary School
Zakhele Primary school
Botlhabatsatsi Primary School
Zamintuthuko Primary School
Umthombo Primary School
Ezazi Primary School
Tshimollo Primary School
Ndima Primary School
Sindawonye Primary School
Pheladi Nakene Primary School
Agnes Chidi Primary School
Koos Matli Primary School
Dr I.M Monare Primary School
Uaone Primary school
Mahube Valley Primary School
Shirinda Primary School
Emthunzini Primary School
legora primary school
Somisanang Primary School
Morakoma Primary School
Balebogeng Primary School
Pfundzo Ndi Tshedza Primary School

Secondary and high schools

Mamelodi Secondary School
Tsako-Thabo Secondary School
Stanza Bopape Secondary School
Vukani Mawethu Secondary School
Vlakfontein Secondary School
Bona Lesedi Secondary School
Gatang Secondary School
Jafta Mahlangu Secondary School
Solomon Mahlangu Secondary School
Rephafukgile Secondary School
Mahube Valley Secondary School
Ribane Laka maths science and ICT school of specialisation
Modiri Technical High School
Lehlabile High School
J.Kekana High School
Phateng Comprehensive School
Lesedi Secondary School

Tertiary education

Tshwane North TVET College has 6 campuses, one of which is based in the east of Mamelodi in the section called BufferZone, next to Mamelodi Day Hospital. It used to be called Thuto Matlhale, then changed to Mamelodi College and now known after the merge as TNC Mamelodi Campus.

The University of Pretoria operates a campus in Mamelodi. The campus in Mamelodi was incorporated from Vista University into the University of Pretoria on 2 January 2004 as part of a government reshuffle of smaller institutions into larger ones.

The U.S. Embassy operates the Mae Jemison Science Reading Room in Mamelodi. This stand-alone building on the University of Pretoria campus has a small library, computers, and an auditorium. It is used for after-school reading, tutoring, and other activities by students in Mamelodi.

Society and culture

Social organisations

There are different organisations and groups that are working towards improving the standard of living and education levels within the township. One of them is Tateni Community Care Services, funded in 1995, which operates 10 Drop-in Centres, mostly in primary schools, to support young children. Furthermore, they have a youth development program to support youth in-and-out-of-school to work towards their "Breaking the Cycle of Poverty" approach. Another organization The Mamelodi Trust operates within five schools in the area. The Mamelodi Initiative, was founded in 2007 by Richard Kelly and Seikanelo Sedibane and it was launched in 2010, it focuses on providing after-school and out-of-school time programming to Mamelodi residents through winter and summer holiday programmes, year-round computer courses, youth mentoring, and other opportunities for youth.The Itsoseng Clinic was established in 1995 and continues to deliver a comprehensive psychological service to the local residents. The Historical Society of Mamelodi aim to capture the history of Mamelodi digitally.

Sport

The township is home to the Mamelodi Sundowns of the 14X Premier League Champions and the Mamelodi Bees Basketball of the South African Women's Basketball League.

The HM Pitje Stadium is located in Mamelodi.

Mamelodi is also home to Mamelodi Sundowns star George Lebese Terrence Mashego Sifiso Ngobeni and Lucky Mohomi of Mamelodi Sundowns.

Mamelodi is also home to the 2003 Miss South Africa Joan Ramagoshi.

Life in Mamelodi

There are a lot of informal settlements in Mamelodi. The housing problem is so great in the area, but it is proving impossible to keep up with the demand. The rates of youth unemployment and drug use are high.

Crime

Crime is also a major problem facing the community with poverty, unemployment and social issues being the major contributors. The community has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, like looting during strikes and destruction of public properties with the aim to get the attention of the government to speed up service delivery.

Outreach

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Livingart.jpg" caption="Part of Mamelodi's "Living Art Gallery"" alt="Viva Foundation's Living Art Gallery"] ::

One major outreach program in Mamelodi is the Viva Foundation. Viva works to support orphans and vulnerable children, as well as giving community members business and skills training. Viva's Mamelodi compound is host to a preschool, small store, kitchen, and safe house for orphans. Viva has also worked to produce a "living art gallery" by painting several homes surrounding the compound.

Another major outreach project situated on the University of Pretoria Mamelodi Campus is the Itsoseng Clinic, a psychological clinic providing free psychological services to the community of Pretoria. The Clinic is a project of the University of Pretoria's Department of Psychology and is in operation since 1994. The clinic collaborates with other helping services, i.e. policing services, hospitals, crisis centers, orphanages, hospices, etc. in the community to address issues related to poverty, crime, unemployment, such as substance and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, HIV/Aids related issues and learning and other difficulties. This is the only psychological facility in the community offering free services to the community. Services are provided by volunteers, students, interns and professional university staff.

Monuments

Solomon Mahlangu is commemorated in the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Square in his hometown of Mamelodi, Pretoria. The square is focused on a bronze statue of Mahlangu. It is located in well maintained parklands on the corner of Maphalla Drive and Tsamaya Avenue.

Notable residents

References

(2000-09-22). "Mamelodi Heritage Route Launched". South African Ministry for Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
"Main Place Mamelodi". Census 2011.
(2022-05-17). "Mamelodi - Gauteng".
Hevesi, Dennis. (2010-06-21). "Nico Smith, White Minister Who Fought Apartheid, Dies at 81". The New York Times.
[http://www.psyssa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CaSP-Itsoseng-Clinic-article.pdf.]
hsmamelodi.co.za
[http://vimeo.com/12829968 Reportage on Informal Settlements in Mamelodi, 2010 by Film City Productions]
"Solomon Mahlangu Statue details".

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