MunicipalitiesSA

Blue Crane Route Local Municipality

EC102 Local Eastern Cape Governed by ANC/DA

49 883 Population Census 2022
11 068 Square kilometres 4.5 per km2
16 117 Households
11 Council seats Coalition governed

Blue Crane Route Local Municipality is a local municipality in Eastern Cape, covering 11 068 square kilometres. It falls within the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Cookhouse, KwaNojoli (Somerset East), Pearston and Petersburg.

Census 2022 counted 49 883 residents, making it the 37th most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 226th of 257 nationally. That works out to 4.5 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 16 117 households, averaging 3.1 people each. 25.0% of residents are under 15 and 9.2% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.7% hold a higher education qualification and 7.8% have had no schooling.

The council has 11 seats across 3 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 5 seats (45.5%). It is governed by a coalition: ANC/DA. Mr Bonisile Amos Manxoweni (Portfolio Head: Finance and Technical Services) serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Mzwandile Patrick Nini 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, Blue Crane Route scores 32.4 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R306.4 million in operating revenue against R452.1 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R145.6 million. At the last census, 56.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 92.2% used electricity for lighting and 76.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 5
  • DA 5
  • EFF 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Bonisile Amos Manxoweni (Portfolio Head: Finance and Technical Services) ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Mr Elvis Miggels ANC
Chief Whip Mrs Neliswa Nkonyeni Yantolo
Municipal Manager Mr Mzwandile Patrick Nini
Chief Financial Officer Mr Nigel Delo Director: Finance
Mayoral Committee Mr Archer Heynse
Mayoral Committee Mr Ayanda Dyantyi
Mayoral Committee Mrs Fiona Patricia Brown Portfolio Head: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Herbet Chowles Davernport
Mayoral Committee Mr Jonathan Malvin Martin Portfolio Head: Community Services Committee
Mayoral Committee Mrs Lorraine Smith Johnson
Mayoral Committee Mr Zamuxolo Baskiti
Senior Management Ms Ayanda Mbebe Manager: Supply Chain and Asset Management
Senior Management Mr Julius Mputa Manager: Revenue and Expenditure
Senior Management Mr Mselana Dali Customer Care
Senior Management Mrs Novuko Kubone Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Phandulwazi Sonkwala Ward Councillor/MPAC Member
Senior Management Mr Xolela Kalashe Director: Corporate and Shared Services
Senior Management Mrs Yolisa Mniki Director: Community Services
Communications Mrs Simanye Veronica Javu-Jobela

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditQualified auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates22 66228 21524 31623 81623 686
Service charges173 869160 301142 445145 234143 062
Investment revenue5 3323 8011 102935592
Transfers recognised - operational84 69574 25470 51068 65774 171
Other own revenue19 89117 49812 93711 4107 357
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)306 449284 069251 310250 053248 868
Employee costs107 538102 82191 97991 20286 469
Remuneration of councillors5 1964 9514 5474 4434 133
Depreciation and amortisation88 34358 87253 41556 449646
Finance charges23 18713 8373 6873 3711 211
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases152 583132 639111 177115 020102 838
Transfers and subsidies1 1561 0901 036927881
Other expenditure74 07675 69852 77450 34650 595
Total Expenditure452 079389 907318 615321 757246 773
Surplus/(Deficit)-145 629-105 837-67 305-71 7042 095
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)70 87748 21937 72126 28431 666
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)---2 900-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-74 752-57 619-29 584-42 52033 761
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-74 752-57 619-29 584-42 52033 761

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure27 830-16 36146 7203 38129 575
Transfers recognised - capital26 511-16 44837-28 415
Borrowing-44---
Internally generated funds1 32024634-1 159
Total sources of capital funds27 830-16 15871-29 575

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets146 458139 000105 25296 13774 801
Total non current assets834 672858 643872 791874 693689 360
Total current liabilities269 024173 508130 203122 93098 437
Total non current liabilities65 81262 43961 40633 84426 911
Community wealth/Equity646 294761 695786 434856 576605 052

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating154 113219 966199 222219 308224 139
Net cash from (used) investing-46 904-33 504-20 632-1 709-2 884
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end147 345196 955200 016243 744230 929

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure10 19112 255---
Irregular expenditure37 8037 20512 63710 0348 220
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure19 75916 289304436

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population49 88336 06336 002

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1525.0%32.8%29.2%
Population 15 to 6465.8%60.7%63.8%
Population over 659.2%6.5%7.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)5264.756.8

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females94.297.996.5

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum3.2%0.0%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a30.7
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a40

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling7.8%6.2%10.5%
Matricn/a20.518.9
Higher education7.7%2.6%6.1%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households16 1179 8769 761
Average household size3.13.73.7
Female headed householdsn/a41.339.3
Formal dwellings97.2%96.9%95.9%
Housing ownedn/a59.452.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage87.2%86.5%84.5%
Weekly refuse removal76.0%86.1%80.3%
Piped water inside dwelling56.6%37.3%51.4%
Electricity for lighting92.2%88.7%86.9%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided10 81410 79810 1258 1037 417
Number of domestic households/delivery points9 6869 6709 6707 6486 962
Inside the yard8 5588 5428 5427 2586 962
Less than 200m from yard9309309303900
More than 200m from yard19819819800
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 5614 3234 2364 1034 039

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided8 7358 7358 7358 7357 631
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 5614 3234 2364 1034 039

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided11 61811 22411 2249 7099 709
Flush toilet - public sewerage8 4288 4288 4286 9136 913
Flush toilet - septic tank2 1362 1362 1362 1362 136
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system753359359359359
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 5614 3234 2364 1034 039

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided8 5588 5588 5588 5588 558
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 5614 3234 2364 1034 039

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)91 97991 20286 46979 60575 701
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)4 5474 4434 1334 0513 994
Total Employee Positions282289285315309
Total Vacant Employee Positions1214075
Total Vacancy Percentage4.3%4.8%0.0%2.2%1.6%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600010
Managerial Positions - by organogram14151197
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram54010

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans