Mantsopa Local Municipality was established on 5 December 2000 and comprises the previous areas of jurisdiction of Tweespruit Transitional Local Council (TLC), Ladybrand TLC, Hobhouse TLC, Excelsior TLC, Thaba Patchoa TLC and Maluti Transitional Rural Council. 
It forms part of the Eastern Free State and falls within the Motheo District Municipal area.   It borders the Kingdom of Lesotho in the east, Mangaung Local Municipality to the west, Naledi Local Municipality to the south and Masilonyana and Setsoto to the north. 

The area is accessible via the N8 and R26 roads which transverse the area. A railway line that runs along these routes services the area.  

The municipal area accommodates approximately 72 000 people and covers an area of 4 290 km2.  It incorporates 5 small towns, which accommodates collectively 66.5% of the total population of Mantsopa.  These small towns serve the surrounding rural community. 

Ladybrand is the most progressive of all towns and is the most eastern node in the municipal area.  Ladybrand municipal area includes Manyatseng, Mauersnek and the surrounding municipal commonages that covered an area of 4 682 ha in size.  The town accommodates 34% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Hobhouse is a smaller rural town that is located southwest of Ladybrand and east of the Leeu River along the Lesotho border.   Hobhouse is the most southern node in the municipal area.  It is about 2 089 ha in extent which includes Dipelaneng and municipal commonages. The town accommodates 4.6% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Tweespruit is the most centrally located node along the N8 route between Bloemfontein and Ladybrand.  It is about 1 534 ha in extent and included Borwa, Dawiesville and municipal commonages. The town accommodates 10.2% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Excelsior is located 40 km north of Tweespruit along the R709 and forms the northern boundary of Mantsopa. It is about 1 298 ha in extent of which 243 ha was designed as an urban area, the rest were rented out to commercial farmers while some land was utilised for grazing purposes.  It includes Mahlatswetsa and municipal commonages. Excelsior accommodates 10.6% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Thaba Patchoa is located between Tweespruit and Hobhouse and is a small agricultural residence for 1100 families.  It is about 3 864 ha in extent and consisted of the farms Thaba Patchoa 105, Segogoana’s Valley 665 and Sweet Home 667.

The municipal area has been divided into 8 wards.  The wards comprises the following areas:  Ward 1:  Tweespruit, Borwa, Dawiesville, Thaba Patchoa and surrounding rural areas; Ward 2:  Hobhouse, Dipelaneng, and surrounding rural areas; Ward 3:  Mandela Park, Riverside, Masakeng, Thusanong, Modderpoort and surrounding rural areas; Ward 4:  Ladybrand, Mauersnek, Los My Cherrie, and surrounding rural areas; Ward 5:  Manyatseng, Flamingo, and surrounding rural areas; Ward 6:  Lusaka, Thabong, New Platberg, and Homes 2000; Ward 7:  Excelsior, part of Mahlatswetsa and surrounding rural areas; Ward 8:  Mahlatswetsa and surrounding rural areas.  The table below gives a breakdown of the estimated number of households per ward.