Ratlou Local Municipality
Ratlou Local Municipality is a local municipality in North West, covering 4 884 square kilometres. It falls within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Disaneng, Kraaipan, Madibogo and Setlagole.
Census 2022 counted 128 766 residents, making it the 15th most populous of the 22 municipalities in North West and 157th of 257 nationally. That works out to 26.4 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 31 273 households, averaging 4.1 people each. 35.2% of residents are under 15 and 7.4% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 2.5% hold a higher education qualification and 17.6% have had no schooling.
The council has 27 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 19 seats (70.4%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Matlhomola Ronald Jafta serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Lloyd Leoko 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, Ratlou scores 18.7 out of 100 for 2023/24, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2023/24 it reported R0.8 million in operating revenue against R19.5 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R18.7 million. At the last census, 22.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.1% used electricity for lighting and 18.7% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 19 70.4%
- EFF 3 11.1%
- F4SD 3 11.1%
- DA 1 3.7%
- UCDP 1 3.7%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Qualified audit | Disclaimer of 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 | n/a | - | 26 952 | 5 581 | 5 581 |
| Service charges | n/a | 68 | 388 | 252 | 252 |
| Investment revenue | n/a | 427 | 5 964 | 2 054 | 2 054 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | n/a | 3 | 160 226 | 147 085 | 147 085 |
| Other own revenue | n/a | 295 | 20 736 | 2 209 | 2 209 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | n/a | 794 | 214 266 | 157 182 | 157 182 |
| Employee costs | n/a | 7 178 | 89 231 | 84 305 | 84 305 |
| Remuneration of councillors | n/a | 981 | 12 197 | 10 774 | 10 774 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Finance charges | n/a | 3 | 73 | 37 | 37 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | n/a | 11 | 348 | 267 | 267 |
| Transfers and subsidies | n/a | 111 | 1 332 | 1 458 | 1 458 |
| Other expenditure | n/a | 11 178 | 112 063 | 53 113 | 53 113 |
| Total Expenditure | n/a | 19 463 | 215 244 | 149 954 | 149 954 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | n/a | -18 670 | -978 | 7 228 | 7 228 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | n/a | - | 8 218 | 33 388 | 33 388 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | n/a | - | 56 | 86 | 86 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | n/a | -18 670 | 7 296 | 40 701 | 40 701 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | n/a | -18 670 | 7 296 | 40 701 | 40 701 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | n/a | 7 122 | 14 796 | 24 062 | 24 062 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | n/a | 4 663 | 9 937 | 37 233 | 37 233 |
| Borrowing | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Total sources of capital funds | n/a | 4 663 | 9 937 | 37 233 | 37 233 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | n/a | -27 529 | 38 800 | 38 710 | 38 710 |
| Total non current assets | n/a | 7 122 | -25 368 | 369 | 369 |
| Total current liabilities | n/a | -1 738 | -697 | 1 313 | 1 313 |
| Total non current liabilities | n/a | - | - | 5 | 5 |
| Community wealth/Equity | n/a | - | 6 833 | -2 940 | -2 940 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | n/a | 28 900 | 400 689 | 365 009 | 365 009 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Net cash from (used) financing | n/a | - | - | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | n/a | 28 900 | 400 689 | 365 009 | 365 009 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 15 792 | 9 419 | 14 465 | 27 081 | - |
| Irregular expenditure | 24 083 | 7 108 | 14 107 | 24 195 | 92 830 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 295 | 25 | 54 | 1 193 | 70 |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 128 766 | 106 108 | 107 339 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 35.2% | 32.4% | 38.7% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 57.4% | 60.8% | 53.9% |
| Population over 65 | 7.4% | 6.7% | 7.4% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 74.2 | 64.4 | 85.6 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 93.9 | 90 | 91.6 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 1.8% | -0.3% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 43.9 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 52.4 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 17.6% | 19.0% | 28.9% |
| Matric | n/a | 13.8 | 11.2 |
| Higher education | 2.5% | 2.3% | 3.0% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 31 273 | 29 120 | 26 889 |
| Average household size | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 48.6 | 49.5 |
| Formal dwellings | 93.7% | 81.8% | 89.9% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 80.6 | 54.1 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 21.1% | 0.4% | 3.2% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 18.7% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 22.1% | 0.7% | 5.2% |
| Electricity for lighting | 93.1% | 83.8% | 83.7% |
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 | 29 150 | 29 150 | 29 150 | 29 150 | 29 150 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 29 120 | 29 120 | 29 120 | 29 120 | 29 120 |
| Inside the yard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 16 360 | 16 360 | 16 360 | 16 360 | 16 360 |
| More than 200m from yard | 12 760 | 12 760 | 12 760 | 12 760 | 12 760 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Electricity
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 28 559 | 28 559 | 28 559 | 28 559 | 27 999 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 9 776 | 18 957 | 18 957 | 7 700 | 6 180 |
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 | 23 114 | 23 114 | 23 114 | 23 114 | 23 114 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 1 324 | 1 324 | 1 324 | 1 324 | 1 324 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 21 773 | 21 773 | 21 773 | 21 773 | 21 773 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Solid waste services
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 89 231 | 84 305 | 84 305 | 77 988 | 59 300 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 12 197 | 10 774 | 10 774 | 10 611 | 11 179 |
| Total Employee Positions | 255 | 376 | 349 | 255 | 400 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 47 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 18.4% | 4.3% | 0.6% | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 27 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury