Nkomazi Local Municipality
Nkomazi Local Municipality is a local municipality in Mpumalanga, covering 4 785 square kilometres. It falls within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Komatipoort, Malalane and Marloth Park.
Census 2022 counted 591 928 residents, making it the 6th most populous of the 20 municipalities in Mpumalanga and 44th of 257 nationally. That works out to 123.7 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 134 143 households, averaging 4.4 people each. 31.0% of residents are under 15 and 4.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.8% hold a higher education qualification and 20.2% have had no schooling.
The council has 65 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 49 seats (75.4%). ANC governs the municipality. Mrs PP Magagula serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Oscar Nkosi is acting 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, Nkomazi scores 39.3 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 R1.3 billion in operating revenue against R1.5 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R233.9 million. At the last census, 29.5% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.6% used electricity for lighting and 28.7% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 49 75.4%
- EFF 10 15.4%
- DA 4 6.2%
- ATM 1 1.5%
- VF PLUS 1 1.5%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 125 304 | 119 462 | 128 094 | 112 274 | 111 629 |
| Service charges | 235 739 | 220 279 | 177 184 | 173 460 | 154 903 |
| Investment revenue | 7 296 | 15 426 | 23 485 | 13 302 | 15 241 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 874 178 | 866 986 | 804 575 | 673 386 | 753 435 |
| Other own revenue | 57 207 | 36 059 | 28 662 | 19 821 | 21 039 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 1 299 725 | 1 258 212 | 1 162 000 | 992 243 | 1 056 247 |
| Employee costs | 734 006 | 722 519 | 651 135 | 626 770 | 566 147 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 29 440 | 31 119 | 26 791 | 25 081 | 24 623 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 110 396 | 102 491 | 93 214 | 96 394 | 90 784 |
| Finance charges | 17 236 | 2 848 | 457 | 467 | 664 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 211 737 | 186 555 | 148 620 | 144 912 | 141 499 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 16 918 | 34 434 | 29 194 | 11 444 | 6 592 |
| Other expenditure | 413 891 | 679 786 | 362 015 | 346 369 | 343 062 |
| Total Expenditure | 1 533 625 | 1 759 752 | 1 311 426 | 1 251 437 | 1 173 370 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -233 900 | -501 540 | -149 426 | -259 194 | -117 123 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 308 734 | 346 866 | 487 155 | 365 225 | 257 396 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | 74 834 | -154 674 | 337 729 | 106 030 | 140 273 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 74 834 | -154 674 | 337 729 | 106 030 | 140 273 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 299 288 | 383 953 | 462 640 | 361 166 | 253 734 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 270 422 | 308 834 | 404 757 | 329 296 | 228 688 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 28 866 | 75 119 | 57 883 | 31 870 | 25 046 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 299 288 | 383 953 | 462 640 | 361 166 | 253 734 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 190 622 | 165 578 | 424 893 | 413 508 | 532 898 |
| Total non current assets | 3 662 400 | 3 471 973 | 3 189 710 | 2 764 708 | 2 500 268 |
| Total current liabilities | 698 829 | 558 187 | 386 601 | 287 832 | 292 114 |
| Total non current liabilities | 78 877 | 78 883 | 69 570 | 68 715 | 26 158 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 2 775 338 | 2 929 325 | 3 276 265 | 2 821 675 | 2 724 940 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 1 763 684 | 2 149 761 | 3 015 096 | 2 143 770 | 1 127 837 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -298 033 | -383 953 | -462 640 | -361 166 | -89 236 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | -426 | 3 633 | - | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 1 327 066 | 1 886 451 | 2 688 146 | 2 029 223 | 1 257 339 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 236 520 | 472 688 | 162 066 | 365 303 | 33 953 |
| Irregular expenditure | 24 023 | 54 895 | 87 335 | 111 787 | 38 331 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 20 821 | 3 131 | 313 | 1 612 | 18 |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 591 928 | 410 907 | 393 030 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 31.0% | 38.0% | 35.4% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 64.9% | 58.3% | 60.5% |
| Population over 65 | 4.1% | 3.6% | 4.1% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 54.1 | 71.4 | 65.4 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 88.6 | 91 | 89.9 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 4.0% | 1.0% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 20.2% | 17.7% | 25.6% |
| Matric | n/a | 29.6 | 25.5 |
| Higher education | 6.8% | 6.5% | 6.5% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 134 143 | 103 965 | 96 202 |
| Average household size | 4.4 | 4 | 4.1 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 45.4 | 45.6 |
| Formal dwellings | 96.4% | 91.7% | 92.3% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 84 | 65.6 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 26.7% | 4.0% | 10.6% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 28.7% | 17.5% | 20.2% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 29.5% | 5.6% | 20.9% |
| Electricity for lighting | 95.6% | 95.1% | 83.3% |
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 | 117 234 | 102 739 | 101 041 | 92 125 | 91 855 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 115 080 | 101 041 | 101 041 | 89 971 | 89 701 |
| Inside the yard | 83 743 | 83 743 | 83 743 | 70 448 | 67 953 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 19 523 | 17 298 | 17 298 | 17 298 | 19 523 |
| More than 200m from yard | 11 814 | 0 | 0 | 2 225 | 2 225 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 12 600 |
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 | 120 053 | 105 171 | 105 171 | 96 268 | 93 969 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 11 400 | 12 756 | 12 756 | 12 754 | 12 600 |
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 | 104 794 | 103 685 | 103 513 | 103 513 | 103 475 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 7 746 | 7 746 | 7 746 | 7 746 | 7 746 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 6 602 | 2 867 | 2 867 | 2 867 | 2 867 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 88 748 | 88 068 | 87 468 | 87 468 | 32 512 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 3 306 | 3 734 | 3 734 | 58 652 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 12 600 |
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 | 83 742 | 83 742 | 83 742 | 83 742 | 83 742 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 20 986 | 12 600 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 651 135 | 626 770 | 566 147 | 395 812 | 386 116 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 26 791 | 25 081 | 24 623 | 24 838 | 31 947 |
| Total Employee Positions | 2 000 | 1 644 | 1 502 | 1 561 | 1 376 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 537 | 142 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 26.9% | 8.6% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 37 | 37 | 30 | 31 | 30 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury