MunicipalitiesSA

Magareng Local Municipality

NC093 Local Northern Cape Governed by ANC

26 816 Population Census 2022
1 546 Square kilometres 17.3 per km2
6 770 Households
11 Council seats

Magareng Local Municipality is a local municipality in Northern Cape, covering 1 546 square kilometres. It falls within the Frances Baard District Municipality. Its main centre is Warrenton.

Census 2022 counted 26 816 residents, making it the 20th most populous of the 31 municipalities in Northern Cape and 244th of 257 nationally. That works out to 17.3 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 6 770 households, averaging 4.0 people each. 27.3% of residents are under 15 and 7.6% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.3% hold a higher education qualification and 8.8% have had no schooling.

The council has 11 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 6 seats (54.5%). ANC governs the municipality. Mrs Neo Mase serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Tumelo Thage 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, Magareng scores 23.1 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R158.4 million in operating revenue against R212.3 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R53.9 million. At the last census, 43.9% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 96.3% used electricity for lighting and 76.7% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 6
  • DA 2
  • EFF 2
  • PA 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mrs Neo Mase ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Mr B Plata ANC
Chief Whip n/a
Municipal Manager Mr Tumelo Thage
Chief Financial Officer Ms Kidi Khaziwa
Mayoral Committee Nontsizi Memane
Senior Management Mrs Corney Lentsoe
Senior Management Mrs Malebogo Motswaledi Finance Service Department
Communications Mr Thapelo Jacobs Acting

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates13 24712 91612 26311 67411 554
Service charges38 33131 97232 46836 84533 207
Investment revenue38535710 9126 2969 582
Transfers recognised - operational73 42976 04969 50262 86461 440
Other own revenue33 02935 0258 9847 6478 094
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)158 421156 319134 129125 327123 876
Employee costs51 01147 18048 60649 81048 576
Remuneration of councillors5 2785 2574 6734 2633 598
Depreciation and amortisation15 89918 42323 78826 67432 271
Finance charges5 6671 9587 5495 4474 319
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases47 90937 30039 90145 19734 325
Transfers and subsidies----35
Other expenditure86 58397 55741 21049 91954 289
Total Expenditure212 347207 674165 728181 310177 412
Surplus/(Deficit)-53 927-51 356-31 599-55 983-53 535
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)71 92450 29024 07125 03461 231
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)2 2524 8941 7253 696-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions20 2493 829-5 803-27 2537 696
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year20 2493 829-5 803-27 2537 696

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure62 33551 54925 36825 90055 426
Transfers recognised - capital61 94151 54923 88522 59855 426
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds394-1 4822 122-
Total sources of capital funds62 33551 54925 36824 72055 426

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets56 30647 49591 47966 57570 940
Total non current assets520 599480 911453 767376 452372 032
Total current liabilities341 313309 201325 933307 403284 552
Total non current liabilities6 8027 6408 99512 7548 669
Community wealth/Equity189 696210 698210 564138 886149 570

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating94 93170 74038221 58115 392
Net cash from (used) investing-62 636-51 374-16 406-25 900-55 425
Net cash from (used) financing38-319-27-
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end33 43720 099-15 4642 329-39 823

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure33 14333 78224 275200 99157 944
Irregular expenditure115 46145 80622 87826 85826 105
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure4 3459736 50919 045853

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population26 81624 05924 204

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1527.3%29.5%31.4%
Population 15 to 6465.1%61.0%62.2%
Population over 657.6%9.4%6.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)53.763.960.7

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females91.599.394.1

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.0%-0.1%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a41.2
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a51.8

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling8.8%12.5%16.6%
Matricn/a28.124
Higher education5.3%2.1%3.3%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households6 7706 9706 120
Average household size43.54
Female headed householdsn/a43.441.7
Formal dwellings89.8%82.3%87.1%
Housing ownedn/a88.558.6

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage87.7%79.1%83.6%
Weekly refuse removal76.7%58.0%63.3%
Piped water inside dwelling43.9%21.9%37.0%
Electricity for lighting96.3%95.0%85.0%

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 provided7 8857 8857 8667 8667 866
Number of domestic households/delivery points7 7187 7187 7187 7187 718
Inside the yard5 9685 9685 9685 9685 968
Less than 200m from yard1 7501 7501 7501 7501 750
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service2702541 463805805

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided7 7187 7187 7187 7187 718
Domestic households with access to free basic service2702541 4632 3552 355

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided6 5826 5286 5286 5246 524
Flush toilet - public sewerage3 8753 8293 8293 8253 825
Flush toilet - septic tank777777777777777
Ventilated pit latrine1 7861 7861 7861 7861 786
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service2702541 463805805

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided7 3637 3637 3637 3637 363
Domestic households with access to free basic service2702541 463805805

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)48 60649 81048 57643 77141 494
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)4 6734 2633 5983 7083 305
Total Employee Positions156244149158215
Total Vacant Employee Positions2915169
Total Vacancy Percentage1.3%37.3%3.4%0.6%32.1%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5621211
Managerial Positions - by organogram1316161613
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram01300

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans