MunicipalitiesSA

Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality

KZN276 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by IFP

131 755 Population Census 2022
3 470 Square kilometres 38.0 per km2
23 136 Households
27 Council seats

Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 3 470 square kilometres. It falls within the uMkhanyakude District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Hlabisa and Hluhluwe.

Census 2022 counted 131 755 residents, making it the 39th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 152nd of 257 nationally. That works out to 38.0 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 23 136 households, averaging 5.7 people each. 34.9% of residents are under 15 and 5.3% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.1% hold a higher education qualification and 16.3% have had no schooling.

The council has 27 seats across 5 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 15 seats (55.6%). IFP governs the municipality. Mr CT Khumalo serves as executive mayor (IFP), and Mr LMV Cele is municipal manager.

On this site’s financial health measure, which weighs the Auditor-General’s opinion alongside operating margin, liquidity, cash cover and irregular spending, Hlabisa Big Five scores 77 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of B, described as sound. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R216.7 million in operating revenue against R221.8 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R5.2 million. At the last census, 20.0% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.1% used electricity for lighting and 17.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • IFP 15
  • ANC 9
  • EFF 1
  • INDEPENDENT 1
  • NFP 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr CT Khumalo IFP
Deputy Mayor Ms Hlengiwe Nkosi IFP
Speaker BW Shangase IFP
Chief Whip n/a
Municipal Manager Mr LMV Cele
Chief Financial Officer Mr JM Nkosi
Mayoral Committee Mr FZ Nkwanyane
Mayoral Committee LL Ntshangase
Mayoral Committee Ms Ndwandwe
Mayoral Committee Mr TN Ngema
Senior Management Mr BN Ngwane Manager: Human Rescources
Senior Management Ms CN Danisa Director: Corporate Sevices
Senior Management Mrs LN Phakathi Deputy Director: Office of the MM
Senior Management Mr MB Shange Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr MP Phakathi Manager: Financial Expenditure
Senior Management Mr S Khumalo Manager: Local Economic Development
Senior Management Ms S Mchunu Manager: Expenditure
Senior Management Mr TA Dlamini Technical, Planning and Infrastructure
Communications Mr MS Jele Deputy Director: Community Services
Communications Mr VT Khanyile Manager

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates29 09427 40124 69425 31927 516
Service charges2 2752 1792 1262 1582 328
Investment revenue9 9749 6476 1612 7691 575
Transfers recognised - operational164 658156 899146 819152 637193 106
Other own revenue10 6575 5659 0643 0804 590
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)216 659201 690188 863185 963229 115
Employee costs90 25086 28184 90883 19880 759
Remuneration of councillors11 34810 4679 1088 3287 262
Depreciation and amortisation18 20617 25918 06219 11428 686
Finance charges1 6411 4771 213917752
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases-----
Transfers and subsidies4 8503 2592 0331 4982 353
Other expenditure95 53987 65073 16883 11995 019
Total Expenditure221 835206 393188 492196 173214 832
Surplus/(Deficit)-5 175-4 703371-10 21014 283
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)24 43630 66828 56839 89527 800
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-532156-111
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions19 26126 49729 09529 68542 195
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year19 26126 49729 09529 68542 195

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure485 023457 295405 197381 878346 869
Transfers recognised - capital71 74877 91368 51265 29353 163
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds299 266282 118240 153224 573211 491
Total sources of capital funds371 014360 031308 665289 865264 654

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets132 444121 119112 04594 63790 150
Total non current assets280 065267 487248 790241 732277 750
Total current liabilities30 18828 58229 36134 34338 973
Total non current liabilities16 78113 74511 70010 9636 517
Community wealth/Equity346 279319 781290 679261 378280 215

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-22 78418 2261 27793 46526 450
Net cash from (used) investing1 55620 98320 10719 6431 500
Net cash from (used) financing---1044
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end47 129120 25286 115163 47527 994

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-2 6491 250230 03344 749
Irregular expenditure-1 0167 0247 2648 837
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure-103 716318

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population131 755116 622107 147

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1534.9%40.3%40.1%
Population 15 to 6459.8%55.6%55.2%
Population over 655.3%4.2%4.7%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)67.279.981.1

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females86.288.285.6

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.0%1.9%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/an/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/an/a

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling16.3%14.7%23.3%
Matricn/a31.225.4
Higher education5.1%7.1%3.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households23 13625 25520 567
Average household size5.74.65.2
Female headed householdsn/a55.556.2
Formal dwellings91.6%70.2%71.1%
Housing ownedn/a85.636.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage20.3%9.5%16.0%
Weekly refuse removal17.3%1.6%10.4%
Piped water inside dwelling20.0%11.0%16.7%
Electricity for lighting95.1%70.1%50.4%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Number of domestic households/delivery points00000
Inside the yard00000
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided15 52815 52815 05414 65313 621
Domestic households with access to free basic service663474401162700

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Flush toilet - public sewerage00000
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided1 0601 0601 0601 0601 060
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)84 90883 19880 75979 09073 414
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)9 1088 3287 2627 2127 420
Total Employee Positions238254252242253
Total Vacant Employee Positions2211100
Total Vacancy Percentage9.2%4.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5601100
Managerial Positions - by organogram2020202020
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram108000

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans