Maquassi Hills Local Municipality
Maquassi Hills Local Municipality is a local municipality in North West, covering 4 671 square kilometres. It falls within the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Leeudoringstad, Makwassie, Witpoort and Wolmaransstad.
Census 2022 counted 90 302 residents, making it the 18th most populous of the 22 municipalities in North West and 192nd of 257 nationally. That works out to 19.3 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 25 067 households, averaging 3.6 people each. 31.0% of residents are under 15 and 5.2% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 3.3% hold a higher education qualification and 14.8% have had no schooling.
The council has 22 seats across 6 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 11 seats (50.0%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Mzwandile Abel Feliti serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mrs Nokuthula Mbonani 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, Maquassi Hills scores 22.6 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “adverse audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R645.0 million in operating revenue against R804.4 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R159.4 million. At the last census, 39.8% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.9% used electricity for lighting and 48.4% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 11 50.0%
- EFF 5 22.7%
- DA 3 13.6%
- F4SD 1 4.5%
- SAPA 1 4.5%
- VF PLUS 1 4.5%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Adverse audit | Adverse audit | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 63 939 | 66 399 | 69 863 | 51 335 | 53 608 |
| Service charges | 177 697 | 172 224 | 170 560 | 181 685 | 221 185 |
| Investment revenue | 772 | 1 212 | 1 885 | 623 | 754 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 217 351 | 206 981 | 200 159 | 184 755 | 188 826 |
| Other own revenue | 185 240 | 195 193 | 287 097 | 107 873 | 81 301 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 644 999 | 642 008 | 729 564 | 526 271 | 545 674 |
| Employee costs | 123 553 | 114 186 | 100 254 | 91 167 | 86 951 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 10 290 | 8 825 | 9 716 | 8 958 | 9 662 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 45 199 | 50 083 | 202 152 | 59 688 | 46 946 |
| Finance charges | 23 466 | 13 652 | 15 987 | 9 313 | 4 355 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 204 142 | 209 907 | 160 791 | 153 548 | 68 594 |
| Transfers and subsidies | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 397 767 | 401 331 | 289 890 | 301 181 | 351 085 |
| Total Expenditure | 804 417 | 797 985 | 778 789 | 623 855 | 567 593 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -159 418 | -155 976 | -49 225 | -97 584 | -21 920 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 30 491 | 54 460 | 34 218 | 33 448 | 805 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -128 927 | -101 516 | -15 007 | -64 136 | -21 114 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -128 927 | -101 516 | -15 007 | -64 136 | -21 114 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 58 546 | -1 956 | 68 273 | 33 645 | 41 279 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 58 545 | -11 426 | 64 701 | 32 656 | 40 973 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 1 | 9 470 | 3 572 | 989 | 307 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 58 546 | -1 956 | 68 273 | 33 645 | 41 279 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 283 229 | 206 992 | 161 868 | 113 644 | 309 840 |
| Total non current assets | 1 671 482 | 1 614 380 | 1 604 800 | 1 613 866 | 1 091 416 |
| Total current liabilities | 909 464 | 667 844 | 531 158 | 418 386 | 685 437 |
| Total non current liabilities | 144 008 | 160 487 | 142 595 | 123 495 | 56 576 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 1 017 678 | 1 179 481 | 1 428 763 | 1 465 504 | 872 548 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 544 374 | 1 084 106 | 451 606 | 379 734 | 295 299 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -58 546 | 1 956 | -68 273 | -33 645 | 1 105 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | (1 316) | 27 415 | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 489 073 | 1 102 030 | 394 901 | 395 490 | 320 938 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 235 910 | 206 664 | 23 961 | 1 044 937 | 32 996 |
| Irregular expenditure | 5 146 | 34 205 | 24 933 | 169 971 | 109 910 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 13 253 | 8 582 | 7 832 | 22 968 | 2 698 |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 90 302 | 82 012 | 77 794 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 31.0% | 33.8% | 33.0% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 63.8% | 61.7% | 61.8% |
| Population over 65 | 5.2% | 4.4% | 5.2% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 56.9 | 62 | 61.8 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 93.9 | 101.1 | 98.9 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 1.5% | 1.2% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 33.4 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 42.6 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 14.8% | 14.7% | 23.5% |
| Matric | n/a | 22.9 | 18.9 |
| Higher education | 3.3% | 3.7% | 4.5% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 25 067 | 24 076 | 20 505 |
| Average household size | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 34.1 | 34.2 |
| Formal dwellings | 93.2% | 85.5% | 81.9% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 60.9 | 55.4 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 89.1% | 85.3% | 79.1% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 48.4% | 44.1% | 52.6% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 39.8% | 28.6% | 32.2% |
| Electricity for lighting | 93.9% | 84.8% | 82.8% |
Service delivery
National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities
Water
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 25 125 | 24 557 | 24 531 | 24 076 | 22 567 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 21 514 | 20 946 | 20 920 | 20 536 | 19 610 |
| Inside the yard | 19 856 | 19 586 | 19 586 | 19 202 | 17 005 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 1 658 | 1 360 | 1 334 | 1 334 | 2 605 |
| More than 200m from yard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 523 | 4 174 | 4 175 | 4 646 | 4 595 |
Electricity
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 28 191 | 24 568 | 24 568 | 24 066 | 21 637 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 523 | 4 174 | 1 417 | 1 309 | 2 500 |
Sewerage and sanitation
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 26 511 | 25 943 | 24 286 | 23 356 | 21 985 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 19 856 | 19 586 | 17 929 | 16 999 | 16 999 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 3 115 | 2 817 | 2 817 | 2 817 | 2 817 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 523 | 4 174 | 4 175 | 4 646 | 4 595 |
Solid waste services
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 20 703 | 20 703 | 20 703 | 20 703 | 20 703 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 523 | 4 174 | 4 175 | 4 646 | 4 595 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 100 254 | 91 167 | 86 951 | 81 071 | 67 918 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 9 716 | 8 958 | 9 662 | 9 151 | 9 138 |
| Total Employee Positions | 338 | 359 | 280 | 231 | 300 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 10 | 78 | 1 | 1 | 68 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 3.0% | 21.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 22.7% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury