MunicipalitiesSA

Dihlabeng Local Municipality

FS192 Local Free State Governed by ANC

130 434 Population Census 2022
4 868 Square kilometres 26.8 per km2
41 468 Households
40 Council seats

Dihlabeng Local Municipality is a local municipality in Free State, covering 4 868 square kilometres. It falls within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Bethlehem, Clarens, Fouriesburg, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Paul Roux and Rosendal.

Census 2022 counted 130 434 residents, making it the 11th most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 154th of 257 nationally. That works out to 26.8 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 41 468 households, averaging 3.1 people each. 25.9% of residents are under 15 and 7.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 12.3% hold a higher education qualification and 6.8% have had no schooling.

The council has 40 seats across 7 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 22 seats (55.0%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Tseki Tseki serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Busa Molatseli 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, Dihlabeng scores 35.1 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 R1.0 billion in operating revenue against R1.3 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R279.5 million. At the last census, 56.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.9% used electricity for lighting and 79.4% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 22
  • DA 7
  • EFF 5
  • AULA 2
  • VF PLUS 2
  • F4SD 1
  • INDEPENDENT 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Tseki Tseki ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Ms Nthabeleng Mofokeng ANC
Chief Whip Ms Mosalla Mokotla
Municipal Manager Mr Busa Molatseli
Chief Financial Officer Mr Pule Khiba
Mayoral Committee Ms J Twala MMC: Infrastructure and Technical Services
Mayoral Committee Ms MA Mokoena MMC: Woman, Disability and Vulnerable Groups
Mayoral Committee Mr MD Makhathini MMC: IDP, Evaluation and Monitoring
Mayoral Committee Ms ME Sempe MMC: Human Settlement and Rural Development
Mayoral Committee Mr PR van Wyk MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Ms SM Jacobs MMC: Community Services
Senior Management Ms Angela Mosima Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr Nkosi Mondi Director: Local Economic Development
Senior Management Mr Ntokozo Shabalala Director: Municipal Infrastructure
Senior Management Ms Seipati Mabula Director: Corporate Services
Communications Mr Tshediso Maitse Acting

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates168 335154 135142 481136 663131 942
Service charges484 255594 086397 703407 283395 177
Investment revenue3 043103 065440109218
Transfers recognised - operational253 176241 285222 534201 674215 976
Other own revenue125 771141 775107 29677 14167 666
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 034 5801 234 346870 455822 870810 980
Employee costs364 133347 271329 995334 997325 329
Remuneration of councillors22 34722 14620 11717 55616 950
Depreciation and amortisation78 26574 85973 28483 49693 472
Finance charges56 24391 27678 50241 89325 115
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases343 795294 074236 951237 836228 317
Transfers and subsidies1963 0842 3163 0273 420
Other expenditure449 076407 436388 073312 441346 499
Total Expenditure1 314 0551 240 1461 129 2381 031 2471 039 103
Surplus/(Deficit)-279 475-5 801-258 783-208 378-228 123
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)178 56587 728123 83339 81961 854
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)44 909-120--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-56 00181 927-134 829-168 558-166 269
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-56 00181 927-134 829-168 558-166 269

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure214 34388 001129 34177 98673 824
Transfers recognised - capital162 75984 606119 10249 22058 641
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds15 6963 39510 11928 76515 184
Total sources of capital funds178 45488 001129 22177 98673 824

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets522 324412 742771 619664 693566 152
Total non current assets2 545 5712 322 7922 418 0062 392 2032 372 540
Total current liabilities1 677 6371 429 9841 720 4451 440 7511 074 293
Total non current liabilities6 8546 87063 32566 87374 301
Community wealth/Equity1 465 6701 337 5071 806 0101 550 5761 762 694

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating332 571133 461345 918376 543262 647
Net cash from (used) investing-166 604-84 864-129 341-67 823-66 150
Net cash from (used) financing3 108-6 349-5 751-4 587-4 096
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end227 48960 635221 830292 923192 408

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure232 835287 201337 784927 560255 556
Irregular expenditure165 348207 619172 038256 830151 324
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure53 34593 39575 811180 21321 174

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population130 434140 044128 704

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1525.9%27.3%29.4%
Population 15 to 6467.0%67.6%65.2%
Population over 657.1%5.1%5.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)49.247.853.5

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females87.593.290.5

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum0.1%1.9%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a28.7
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a38.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling6.8%8.3%8.9%
Matricn/a32.726.3
Higher education12.3%9.5%10.3%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households41 46846 85738 590
Average household size3.133.3
Female headed householdsn/a40.941.1
Formal dwellings85.4%80.1%76.7%
Housing ownedn/a54.447.5

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage91.2%80.6%77.2%
Weekly refuse removal79.4%82.4%80.2%
Piped water inside dwelling56.7%42.2%43.8%
Electricity for lighting93.9%90.3%84.8%

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 provided43 95743 92643 92643 92643 926
Number of domestic households/delivery points38 56538 53438 53438 53438 534
Inside the yard34 63434 63434 63434 63434 634
Less than 200m from yard3 9313 9003 9003 9003 900
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 6874 7923 3445 8705 870

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided35 84235 84235 84235 63435 634
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 6874 7923 3445 8705 870

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided41 11941 11941 11941 11940 256
Flush toilet - public sewerage32 31732 30432 30432 30432 304
Flush toilet - septic tank2 3302 3302 3302 3302 330
Ventilated pit latrine1 00093939393
Bucket system801 0001 0001 0001 000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 6874 7923 3445 8705 870

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided38 61138 61138 61138 61138 611
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 6874 7923 3445 8705 870

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)329 995334 997325 329297 871274 868
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)20 11717 55616 95017 53116 858
Total Employee Positions1 4742 0062 0051 4681 468
Total Vacant Employee Positions811300
Total Vacancy Percentage0.5%0.6%0.2%0.0%0.0%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5636000
Managerial Positions - by organogram4040404040
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram55300

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans