MunicipalitiesSA

Dannhauser Local Municipality

KZN254 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by Hung Council

142 750 Population Census 2022
1 707 Square kilometres 83.6 per km2
25 479 Households
25 Council seats

Dannhauser Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 1 707 square kilometres. It falls within the Amajuba District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Dannhauser and Hattingspruit.

Census 2022 counted 142 750 residents, making it the 35th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 138th of 257 nationally. That works out to 83.6 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 25 479 households, averaging 5.6 people each. 32.5% of residents are under 15 and 5.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.5% hold a higher education qualification and 6.4% have had no schooling.

The council has 25 seats across 7 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 9 seats (36.0%). Hung Council governs the municipality. BA Hadebe serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr MS Sithole 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, Dannhauser scores 27.2 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R182.8 million in operating revenue against R230.6 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R47.8 million. At the last census, 25.4% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.9% used electricity for lighting and 21.9% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 9
  • IFP 9
  • EFF 3
  • ABC 1
  • CFP 1
  • DA 1
  • ITSSA 1

Office bearers

Mayor BA Hadebe ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Mr Sibusiso Ndlela IFP
Chief Whip MS Mkhumane
Municipal Manager Mr MS Sithole
Chief Financial Officer Mr N Majola
Mayoral Committee RN Made
Mayoral Committee S Nzuza
Mayoral Committee SEC Kunene
Senior Management Mrs LP Gcabashe Director: Technical Services
Senior Management Mr Mfanafuthi Ngwabe
Senior Management Mr SS Nkabinde Acting Manager: Planning and Economic Development
Senior Management Ms T Mthethwa
Communications Ms N Mahlaba

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedQualified audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates42 20144 59130 85328 11521 084
Service charges5 1741 3491 3451 3021 246
Investment revenue2 8272 0801 1506681 019
Transfers recognised - operational125 895119 816114 744103 833114 602
Other own revenue6 6704 4606 3584 2492 579
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)182 768172 295154 451138 166140 530
Employee costs67 91740 86040 14132 77831 941
Remuneration of councillors12 62912 92110 8069 5999 469
Depreciation and amortisation34 97039 97888 09131 56036 886
Finance charges2 7013 2313 6634 8634 140
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases1 0373 1807 5446 5728 441
Transfers and subsidies-----
Other expenditure111 33292 71285 73463 28659 620
Total Expenditure230 586192 882235 977148 658150 496
Surplus/(Deficit)-47 818-20 586-81 527-10 491-9 966
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)28 02228 62928 44128 61113 645
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)--102--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-19 7968 042-52 98418 1193 679
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-19 7968 042-52 98418 1193 679

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure46 06426 03541 57251 14566 426
Transfers recognised - capital7 179--21 03726 031
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds122--1 00524 71131 737
Total sources of capital funds7 300--1 00545 74857 768

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets45 21542 10837 08423 50536 964
Total non current assets541 993528 937533 633583 254469 024
Total current liabilities80 67345 71653 54849 98039 011
Total non current liabilities35 92835 96135 84333 18340 923
Community wealth/Equity539 519489 368481 326525 185426 054

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-16 79511 509194 484231 526172 580
Net cash from (used) investing-26 303-29 356-43 454-57 858-91 849
Net cash from (used) financing9-5 196--29 711
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-23 495-15 254165 997185 46932 778

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure48 05928 82564 65437 743-
Irregular expenditure13 61626 3984 19676 46221 639
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure48234400-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population142 750105 341102 937

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1532.5%40.0%38.2%
Population 15 to 6461.8%56.0%56.7%
Population over 655.7%4.0%5.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)61.878.576.3

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females93.189.990

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum3.2%0.5%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 schooling6.4%5.5%9.0%
Matricn/a31.725.4
Higher education5.5%3.9%3.5%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households25 47920 24220 580
Average household size5.65.25
Female headed householdsn/a50.250.6
Formal dwellings85.5%69.3%82.3%
Housing ownedn/a55.645.5

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage23.8%10.4%12.9%
Weekly refuse removal21.9%9.6%11.5%
Piped water inside dwelling25.4%13.8%19.5%
Electricity for lighting93.9%91.2%80.7%

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 provided7 6027 6027 6025 0604 451
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 1621 3651 3651 4201 497

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 provided6 8296 8296 8296 8294 738
Domestic households with access to free basic service1209595113113

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)40 14132 77831 94127 03430 891
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)10 8069 5999 46910 7049 044
Total Employee Positions1631389510283
Total Vacant Employee Positions8141140
Total Vacancy Percentage49.7%29.7%1.1%3.9%0.0%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5620000
Managerial Positions - by organogram88884
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram31140

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans