Phumelela Local Municipality
Phumelela Local Municipality is a local municipality in Free State, covering 8 197 square kilometres. It falls within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Memel, Vrede and Warden.
Census 2022 counted 52 224 residents, making it the 19th most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 223rd of 257 nationally. That works out to 6.4 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 15 605 households, averaging 3.3 people each. 27.1% of residents are under 15 and 6.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.1% hold a higher education qualification and 6.9% have had no schooling.
The council has 16 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 11 seats (68.8%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Mbuyiseni Kobeni serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Gugulethu Mhlongo-Ntshangase 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, Phumelela scores 23.9 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R281.3 million in operating revenue against R322.0 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R40.7 million. At the last census, 43.5% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 84.8% used electricity for lighting and 69.4% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 11 68.8%
- DA 2 12.5%
- EFF 2 12.5%
- VF PLUS 1 6.3%
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 | 19 114 | 20 064 | 15 645 | 16 412 | 12 884 |
| Service charges | 71 511 | 93 107 | 75 484 | 30 422 | 34 036 |
| Investment revenue | 946 | 1 251 | 372 | 337 | 1 066 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 145 673 | 143 759 | 122 470 | 115 896 | 145 600 |
| Other own revenue | 44 010 | 41 981 | 24 416 | 35 976 | 56 153 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 281 254 | 300 161 | 238 387 | 199 042 | 249 737 |
| Employee costs | 87 433 | 80 587 | 85 597 | 80 598 | 74 567 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 12 023 | 7 818 | 7 522 | 6 665 | 6 591 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 1 465 | 35 447 | 35 122 | 34 987 | 31 955 |
| Finance charges | 24 439 | 27 544 | 21 501 | 14 715 | 18 232 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 45 153 | 46 769 | 37 431 | 37 436 | 28 987 |
| Transfers and subsidies | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 151 452 | 128 483 | 90 529 | 86 063 | 94 394 |
| Total Expenditure | 321 965 | 326 648 | 277 702 | 260 463 | 254 726 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -40 711 | -26 487 | -39 315 | -61 421 | -4 989 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 16 864 | 21 355 | 11 064 | 20 119 | - |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | -536 | -526 | -466 | -459 | -1 282 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -24 383 | -5 658 | -28 716 | -41 762 | -6 271 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -24 383 | -5 658 | -28 716 | -41 762 | -6 271 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 37 351 | 20 671 | 26 141 | 34 447 | 47 559 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 36 745 | 20 671 | 26 141 | 34 447 | 62 943 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total sources of capital funds | 36 745 | 20 671 | 26 141 | 34 447 | 62 943 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 123 615 | 118 673 | 87 245 | 57 615 | 50 393 |
| Total non current assets | 783 320 | 750 524 | 804 716 | 793 057 | 779 144 |
| Total current liabilities | 539 696 | 492 090 | 451 852 | 415 683 | 368 888 |
| Total non current liabilities | 86 544 | 84 401 | 88 784 | 82 155 | 42 156 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 285 042 | 292 707 | 351 326 | 352 834 | 424 763 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 35 458 | 220 963 | 186 646 | -86 791 | 184 237 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -40 367 | -44 935 | -27 828 | -36 300 | -82 648 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | 16 | - | - | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | -4 267 | 183 323 | 159 082 | -119 281 | 102 141 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 77 229 | 122 639 | 72 134 | 657 281 | 95 612 |
| Irregular expenditure | 2 656 | 2 635 | 10 647 | 14 285 | 8 471 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 16 773 | 21 556 | 15 583 | 35 217 | 11 169 |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52 224 | 50 054 | 47 772 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 27.1% | 28.9% | 31.7% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 66.1% | 65.5% | 62.3% |
| Population over 65 | 6.8% | 5.6% | 6.0% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 51.3 | 52.7 | 60.5 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 92.1 | 97.5 | 94.1 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 0.9% | 1.1% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 25.3 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 34.6 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 6.9% | 7.2% | 11.3% |
| Matric | n/a | 23.2 | 19.4 |
| Higher education | 7.1% | 4.6% | 6.3% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 15 605 | 14 586 | 12 888 |
| Average household size | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 40 | 39.3 |
| Formal dwellings | 82.9% | 69.6% | 73.0% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 51.3 | 50.2 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 75.1% | 64.5% | 62.6% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 69.4% | 61.0% | 65.1% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 43.5% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Electricity for lighting | 84.8% | 79.1% | 74.9% |
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 | 15 952 | 15 437 | 15 437 | 15 165 | 15 165 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 15 578 | 15 063 | 15 063 | 14 791 | 14 791 |
| Inside the yard | 12 627 | 12 627 | 12 627 | 12 380 | 12 380 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 2 736 | 2 436 | 2 436 | 2 411 | 2 411 |
| More than 200m from yard | 215 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 653 | 1 252 | 1 051 | 1 141 | 1 210 |
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 | 11 689 | 11 549 | 13 210 | 13 210 | 13 210 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 653 | 1 252 | 1 051 | 1 141 | 1 210 |
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 | 13 756 | 12 988 | 12 988 | 12 951 | 12 951 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 10 340 | 9 902 | 9 902 | 9 902 | 9 902 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 1 667 | 1 667 | 1 667 | 1 667 | 1 667 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 838 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 631 | 1 139 | 1 139 | 1 102 | 1 102 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 653 | 1 252 | 1 051 | 1 141 | 1 210 |
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 | 14 998 | 13 354 | 13 354 | 13 010 | 13 010 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 1 653 | 1 252 | 1 051 | 1 141 | 1 210 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 85 597 | 80 598 | 74 567 | 68 755 | 64 688 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 7 522 | 6 665 | 6 591 | 6 071 | 6 202 |
| Total Employee Positions | 295 | 287 | 290 | 273 | 346 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 107 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 30.9% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 11 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Published documents
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