Phuthaditjhaba is the urban centre of Qwaqwa and serves as the administrative head office of Maluti-A-Phofung municipality.
Surrounding Phuthaditjhaba are rural villages of Qwaqwa established on tribal land administered by Department of Land Affairs. Harrismith is a service center for the surrounding rural areas and a trading belt serving the passing N3 which links the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.