In his 2013 State of the Province address, the Premier of the Free State Province, Premier Elias “Ace” Magashule made a declaration; that “By 2030, the Free State shall have a resilient, thriving and competitive economy that is inclusive, with immense prospects of human development, anchored on the principles of unity, dignity, diversity, equality and prosperity for all”. To realize this Free State Vision 2030, all Districts within the province need to engage in Economic Development initiatives that would see its citizens benefit by way of improved quality of life and poverty eradication.
To this end, the Lejweleputswa District Municipality had long identified the Lejweleputswa Development Agency as its vehicle to promote economic development in the district, in the form of creating job opportunities, ensuring optimum usage of district and local municipality assets such as land and property.

Formed in 2005 as a wholly owned entity of the LDM, the LDA went through an inception phase in its early years, where focus was on setting up the company, putting systems and processes in place. This was followed by a stabilization phase, which saw the agency acquire office space and recruit key personnel. Also during this phase various early stage potential projects were taken through pre – feasibility studies. The agency has now entered its third phase, which is an implementation phase. In his address to the LDA’s inaugural meeting on February 2015, the LDM Executive Mayor, Hon. Cllr. N. W. Speelman urged management and the Board of LDA to move from planning and start implementing projects. The strategic focus for the next three years of the board office is to drive implementation of projects identified as having commercial potential and that would have a significant economic impact in the District by creating much needed jobs and alleviate the burden of poverty. He further edge the Board to take the advantage of the President Hon G.J. Zuma plans of the mining town in particular Welkom.

The entity has been established as an economic development propeller for Lejweleputswa District Municipality which is the second largest region in the Free State Province and is situated in the North Western part of province. It borders Motheo and Xhariep to the South, the Northern Cape to the West, North West province to the North and Thabo Mofutsanyane to the north east and east. The district within which the agency is located, has a total population of 627 626 people, of whom 51% is female and 49% male. The District covers a land area of approximately 31 930 km2 and is made up of the following five local municipalities:

• 1. Matjhabeng:

  Welkom, Odendaalsrus, Henneman, Allanridge, Virginia and Ventersburg

• 2.Masilonyana:

  Soutpan, Verkeerdevlei, Windburg, Theunissen and Brandfort

• 3. Tswelopele:

  Bultfontein and Hoopstad.

• 4. Nala:

  Wesselsbron and Bothaville

• 5. Tokologo

  Dealsville, Boshof and Hertzogville