MunicipalitiesSA

Johannes Phumani Phungula Local Municipality

KZN434 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by ANC

133 032 Population Census 2022
1 670 Square kilometres 79.7 per km2
26 742 Households
27 Council seats

Johannes Phumani Phungula Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 1 670 square kilometres. It falls within the Harry Gwala District Municipality. Its main centre is Ixopo.

Census 2022 counted 133 032 residents, making it the 38th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 146th of 257 nationally. That works out to 79.7 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 26 742 households, averaging 5.0 people each. 32.5% of residents are under 15 and 6.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.4% hold a higher education qualification and 12.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 27 seats across 7 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 18 seats (66.7%). ANC governs the municipality. Ms Elizabeth Bathobile Ngubo serves as executive mayor, and Mr ME Mkhize 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, Johannes Phumani Phungula scores 72.1 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 R252.6 million in operating revenue against R274.7 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R22.1 million. At the last census, 23.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.1% used electricity for lighting and 21.5% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 18
  • EFF 3
  • IFP 2
  • AIC 1
  • DA 1
  • INDEPENDENT 1
  • NFP 1

Office bearers

Mayor Ms Elizabeth Bathobile Ngubo
Deputy Mayor Mrs ZL Miya
Speaker Mr Thulani Conrad Dlamini
Chief Whip Mr Hezekiel Christian Jili
Municipal Manager Mr ME Mkhize
Chief Financial Officer Ms Siyasanga Sityata
Mayoral Committee Mrs GC Ngcongo Exco Member
Senior Management Mrs NC Mohua Director : Social Development
Senior Management Ms P Ndamase Internal Audit Manager
Senior Management Mr Phumlani Gwala Director: IPD
Senior Management Ms Sonia Adams Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Ms Z Khumalo Manager: IPD and Performance Management System
Communications Mr Zakhele Mtolo

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 rates49 52751 94123 61124 38921 321
Service charges3 5993 3863 2373 0882 955
Investment revenue19 15019 80014 6738 5557 569
Transfers recognised - operational151 659150 360143 454135 741143 912
Other own revenue28 67939 6129 0776 5817 775
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)252 613265 099194 051178 355183 532
Employee costs107 896102 92583 36886 66284 094
Remuneration of councillors12 02211 81611 23310 37210 436
Depreciation and amortisation40 36033 28741 41728 03035 922
Finance charges7361-
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases2 1122 4941 3691 231814
Transfers and subsidies3 0223 6785 0425 9365 179
Other expenditure109 24896 57166 53754 52853 148
Total Expenditure274 667250 774208 971186 760189 593
Surplus/(Deficit)-22 05414 326-14 920-8 405-6 060
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)32 54243 50832 64032 26226 482
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)43-4 1214 018-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions10 53257 83421 84127 87420 422
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year10 53257 83421 84127 87420 422

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure74 250251 239193 561152 96098 698
Transfers recognised - capital34 336136 87698 38170 09642 154
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds39 914113 89194 70782 39156 481
Total sources of capital funds74 250250 766193 088152 48898 635

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets258 133250 996227 971239 716190 235
Total non current assets419 302403 645368 466337 543347 767
Total current liabilities32 95225 94733 44537 49828 912
Total non current liabilities11 87911 67110 06711 3068 709
Community wealth/Equity622 073559 189552 880500 581479 959

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-1 358163 227123 197253 05354 983
Net cash from (used) investing-60 630-84 958-31 019--
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end140 434556 312865 919572 040284 886

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-9 89519 956--
Irregular expenditure1 3398647 61553 27766 535
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure34361-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population133 032118 346110 925

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1532.5%40.4%37.4%
Population 15 to 6460.8%55.2%57.2%
Population over 656.7%4.4%5.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)64.581.374.7

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females88.988.386.5

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.8%1.5%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 schooling12.1%12.7%15.5%
Matricn/a25.719.8
Higher education5.4%6.9%4.1%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households26 74225 12025 520
Average household size54.74.3
Female headed householdsn/a57.457.2
Formal dwellings70.3%30.8%30.0%
Housing ownedn/a69.165.8

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage24.9%7.5%13.2%
Weekly refuse removal21.5%9.6%11.4%
Piped water inside dwelling23.3%7.5%11.6%
Electricity for lighting93.1%73.0%53.9%

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 provided16 00116 00116 00116 00116 001
Domestic households with access to free basic service11789755462

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 4111 4111 4111 4111 411
Domestic households with access to free basic service9995595635

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)83 36886 66284 09469 76564 749
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)11 23310 37210 43610 05210 304
Total Employee Positions294281276257278
Total Vacant Employee Positions431224
Total Vacancy Percentage1.4%1.1%0.4%8.6%1.4%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655548
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600114
Managerial Positions - by organogram1515151513
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00010

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans