Phokwane Local Municipality
Phokwane Local Municipality is a local municipality in Northern Cape, covering 828 square kilometres. It falls within the Frances Baard District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Hartswater, Jan Kempdorp and Pampierstat.
Census 2022 counted 80 481 residents, making it the 11th most populous of the 31 municipalities in Northern Cape and 196th of 257 nationally. That works out to 97.2 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 19 599 households, averaging 4.1 people each. 29.9% of residents are under 15 and 6.5% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 8.3% hold a higher education qualification and 11.2% have had no schooling.
The council has 14 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 9 seats (64.3%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Makoro Mpe serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Thuso Nemugumoni 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, Phokwane scores 47 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R475.2 million in operating revenue against R808.7 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R333.5 million. At the last census, 48.9% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.8% used electricity for lighting and 58.9% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 9 64.3%
- EFF 5 DA 2 14.3%
- F4SD 1 7.1%
- PSDF 1 7.1%
- VF PLUS 1 7.1%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 40 854 | 39 416 | 40 002 | 30 329 | 29 591 |
| Service charges | 194 759 | 174 677 | 147 032 | 154 903 | 140 578 |
| Investment revenue | 1 172 | 653 | 1 211 | 1 623 | 1 119 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 146 879 | 139 510 | 130 399 | 118 276 | 136 916 |
| Other own revenue | 91 562 | 89 837 | 6 808 | 43 759 | 36 621 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 475 225 | 444 093 | 325 452 | 348 889 | 344 825 |
| Employee costs | 127 516 | 122 127 | 114 645 | 96 266 | 88 978 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 8 168 | 8 188 | 7 813 | 7 034 | 4 330 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 67 295 | 57 851 | 58 759 | 67 552 | 59 483 |
| Finance charges | 75 507 | 26 071 | 37 044 | 20 369 | 14 223 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 238 157 | 230 763 | 216 004 | 191 994 | 135 674 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 1 540 | 1 153 | 966 | 1 023 | 964 |
| Other expenditure | 290 541 | 194 070 | 199 194 | 149 167 | 181 832 |
| Total Expenditure | 808 723 | 640 223 | 634 424 | 533 405 | 485 484 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -333 498 | -196 131 | -308 972 | -184 516 | -140 659 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 50 641 | 73 342 | 45 699 | 22 878 | 13 634 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | 7 294 | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -282 857 | -115 495 | -263 274 | -161 637 | -127 025 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -282 857 | -115 495 | -263 274 | -161 637 | -127 025 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 31 289 | -8 231 | 66 366 | 36 697 | 45 817 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 44 353 | 67 835 | 63 014 | 23 211 | 15 256 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | -82 | 6 851 | 3 352 | 13 486 | 30 561 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 44 271 | 74 686 | 66 366 | 36 697 | 45 817 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 1 927 062 | 402 229 | 247 832 | 262 214 | 225 635 |
| Total non current assets | 1 120 074 | 1 153 394 | 1 135 581 | 1 195 589 | 1 237 781 |
| Total current liabilities | 928 267 | 1 086 339 | 808 580 | 636 897 | 508 273 |
| Total non current liabilities | 381 040 | 41 918 | 165 595 | 152 996 | 151 821 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 1 819 439 | 427 365 | 409 237 | 667 910 | 1 300 350 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 439 594 | 323 840 | 225 600 | 191 170 | 92 837 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -54 527 | -74 813 | -82 273 | -34 521 | -30 213 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | 208 |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 346 547 | 254 123 | 171 583 | 198 937 | 104 527 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 252 158 | 342 116 | 333 563 | 1 308 858 | n/a |
| Irregular expenditure | - | 18 863 | 34 117 | 34 644 | n/a |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 69 673 | 20 983 | 22 295 | 51 274 | n/a |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 80 481 | 60 168 | 63 000 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 29.9% | 31.3% | 32.3% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 63.6% | 60.0% | 61.9% |
| Population over 65 | 6.5% | 8.6% | 5.7% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 57.3 | 66.6 | 61.5 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 91.3 | 96.2 | 93.8 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 2.4% | -1.1% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 37.6 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 48.3 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 11.2% | 13.6% | 17.7% |
| Matric | n/a | 24.1 | 21.9 |
| Higher education | 8.3% | 6.0% | 6.4% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 19 599 | 19 597 | 17 544 |
| Average household size | 4.1 | 3.1 | 3.6 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 40.4 | 38 |
| Formal dwellings | 88.5% | 82.1% | 83.8% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 77.3 | 58.7 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 77.1% | 65.1% | 69.9% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 58.9% | 58.5% | 60.8% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 48.9% | 33.1% | 37.9% |
| Electricity for lighting | 94.8% | 90.7% | 82.3% |
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 | 22 015 | 22 015 | 22 015 | 22 015 | 22 015 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 21 529 | 21 529 | 21 529 | 21 529 | 21 529 |
| Inside the yard | 18 335 | 18 335 | 18 335 | 18 335 | 18 335 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 1 454 | 1 454 | 1 454 | 1 454 | 1 454 |
| More than 200m from yard | 1 740 | 1 740 | 1 740 | 1 740 | 1 740 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 332 | 1 586 | 1 045 | 1 245 | 1 253 |
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 | 18 718 | 18 110 | 18 110 | 18 110 | 17 533 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 215 | 1 586 | 1 045 | 1 245 | 1 253 |
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 | 19 964 | 19 964 | 19 964 | 19 964 | 19 964 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 725 | 725 | 725 | 725 | 725 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 1 434 | 1 434 | 1 434 | 1 434 | 1 434 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 273 | 3 273 | 3 273 | 3 273 | 3 273 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 554 | 1 586 | 1 045 | 1 245 | 1 253 |
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 | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 | 14 025 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 554 | 1 586 | 1 045 | 1 245 | 1 253 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 114 645 | 96 266 | 88 978 | 84 901 | 85 437 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 7 813 | 7 034 | 4 330 | 6 340 | 7 845 |
| Total Employee Positions | 459 | 456 | 363 | 363 | 544 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 113 | 132 | 6 | 6 | 169 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 24.6% | 29.0% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 31.1% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury