Vhembe District Municipality is a second-order administrative division and is located in, South Africa, with a population of 1 240 035 habitants. The estimate terrain elevation above seal level is 1206 metres. Vhembe is situated in the Northern part of Limpopo Province, sharing borders with Zimbabwe in the north, Mozambique and extending through the Kruger National Park in the east and Botswana, in the north west.
Vhembe District Municipality with its head quarters in Thohoyandou, was established in 2000 through the process of transformation of Local Government. It was established in terms of Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 as a demarcated sphere of governance. It is composed of four local municipalities, namely: 'Makhado; Musina; Thulamela and Mutale'. It covers 21 407 km2 and the population of over 1.1 million are living in 274 480 households. There are 8 hospitals situated all across the district. Vhembe is a Venda name. “Vhembe” has been chosen amongst a number of suggested names for the district. Vhembe is a Venda name for what is also known as the Limpopo River. In essence Vhembe means Limpopo River. The name Vhembe symbolizes a fountain of life. This is captured in the Venda legend which says: “Vhembe yo alama, yo ela, yo beba vhana vhayo” (Vhembe river has laid wide like an ocean, flowing and giving rise to its children).