| Lebowakgomo | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Limpopo#South Africa |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Coordinates: | -24.305°N 29.565°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Limpopo |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Capricorn |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Lepelle-Nkumpi |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 25.68 |
| Population Total: | 35087 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 99.3% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 0.2% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.2% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.2% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Northern Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 87.2% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | English |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 2.8% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 1.5% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Tsonga |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.5% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 6.9% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 0737 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 0737 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 015 |
Lebowakgomo is the seat of the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality and was the capital of the former Bantustan of Lebowa. Lebowakgomo lies 45km (28miles) southeast of the Limpopo capital of Polokwane. The majority of Lebowakgomo's inhabitants speak SePedi.
The township was established in the early 1970s to become the capital of Lebowa, and was enlarged and developed in the 1980s. The name is derived from two Northern Sotho words Lebowa ("north") and Kgomo ("cow"). The land where Lebowakgomo is located was donated to the former Lebowa Government by Chief Mmutle Mphahlele of the Bakgaga ba gaMphahlele. The chief's palace lies 10 km southeast of the township in Seleteng village.
Lebowakgomo was one of the eight townships in the former Bantustan, the seven others being Mahwelereng, Sešego, Mankweng, Lenyenye, Namakgale, Praktiseer, Mašišing and Senwabarwana.
In the early 1990s, Lebowakgomo had three primary schools in Zone A (Little Bedfordview, Mogodumo and Ntseekgopu), in Zone F (Dr Dixon Mphahlele) and in Zone B (Eureka), and three high schools: Derek Kobe High School, Lebowakgomo High School, SJ van der Merwe Full Service Technical High School and towards the late 90s Lebowakgomo Commercial(which later became Waterberg FET College), and Mathomomayo High School. Before 2005 two more primary and secondary schools were built in Zone A and Zone S
Notable people from Mphahlele and Lebowakgomo include:
Greater Lebowakgomo Community Radio (GLFM) is one of two local radio station broadcasting at 89.8 FM, A digital radio station now exists called Connect Radio and broadcasts on www.connectradio.co.za.The radio stations target the communities within Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality and the youth with content such as news, sports, talk and music.
Lebowakgomo is a township in GA-Mphahlele surrounded by small to medium-sized villages that in each with their own characteristics contribute the vast majority of day dwellers in its business district. These villages include, Makotse, Ga-Ledwaba home of the Traditional Authority of Ga-Ledwaba, Ga-Rakgoatha, Ga-Mphahlele, Sepanapudi, Ga Masemola and Zebediela home to the Zebediela Citrus Farm which in its prime prior to land redistribution exported citrus to international and local markets and its oranges were famous among locals. Just 13 km out of Lebowakgomo lies the Zion Christian Church former headquarters Podingwane from 1937 to 1942 before moving to Moria.
Thabamoopo Hospital is a Psychiatric hospital located in Lebowakgomo Zone A just a few kilometres from Lebowakgomo Hospital, both institutions are public hospitals and offer free services to those that are elegible for free services and charge government hospital rates to other citizens. There are other public health facilities and clinics in Lebowakgomo Zone B and Lebowakgomo Zone R. The township has always been dominated by public health facilities and a handful of private health facilities. Over the years there has been a rise in General Practitioners, Psychologists and Gynaecologist all working privately and in recent years there has been a construction of a private hospital (Medleb). It started operating in mid 2018 and has been fully functional.
Lebowakgomo Stadium was a multi use municipal facility which was mostly used to host private functions and recreational events like the annual AKasiDream event hosted every Easter to bring the youth together and a family fun day hosted every spring filled of fun and games for family and children. This multi use facility was capable to administer sporting events such as Soccer, Tennis, Netball, BasketBall and Baseball. Currently that is done at Baroka Village, a world class local facility by Baroka FC which caters for soccer and events. Back in the day tennis used to be very popular with the people of Lebowakgomo. The success of tennis was due to the collective effort of community members who, through their own interest in the sport, taught themselves and then others to play. Tennis has paved a career pathway for many junior players in sports.