The Nala Local Municipality is situated in the northern part of the municipal region of the Lejweleputswa district council. The former Bothaville and Wesselsbron traditional local councils and a section of the Vetvaal transitional rural council have been combined to the new Nala local municipality.

The Bothaville/Kgotsong area is located approximately 50km south of Klerksdorp, 80 km north of Welkom and 200 km south of Gauteng. Wesselsbron/Monyakeng is situated approximately 70 km south-west from Bothaville, approximately 35 km west of Welkom/Odendaalsrus and 55 km east of Hoopstad. The major towns that form part of the Nala Local Municipality are Bothaville and Wesselsbron.

Environmental Profile

Biodiversity Summary

The municipality covers an area of 412879.7ha of which 34.9% has remained as natural habitat. There are two formal land-based protected areas covering 16.9ha in the municipality. These are the Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve and the Wolwespruit Nature Reservce. There are no RAMSAR sites in the municipality. There are two biomes in the municipality, namely Grassland and Savanna. Six vegetation types, are found in the municipal area. There is one endangered ecosystem, namely Vaal-Vet Sandy Grassland covering 70595ha (7.9%) of the municipality.

Climate

The climate of the area is typical of the South African Highveld climate zone. The summers are predominantly warm to hot (November to February), and the area falls within the summer rainfall area.  Rainfall is predominantly in the form of thunderstorms with the associated lightning and occasional hail. The annual rainfall for the Free State ranges from 80mm to 800mm, occurring mainly in summer. Occasional heavy rainfall events of 125mm to 150mm transpire in short periods of time, usually a couple of hours, due to intensive thunderstorms or cloud bursts, resulting in floods that cause extensive environmental, economical and social damage. The region experiences severe frost, but little snow. Temperatures vary between 13 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius, with an average of 14 degrees Celsius.

Topography

The topography of the area is homogenous, with moderate slopes. The only significant natural feature is the sensitive wetland system found just south of Wesselsbron. The Vaal River forms the north-western boundary of the municipality.