MunicipalitiesSA

Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality

DC19 District Free State Governed by n/a

831 421 Population Census 2022
32 730 Square kilometres 25.4 per km2
244 415 Households
12 Council seats Coalition governed

Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality is a district municipality in Free State, covering 32 730 square kilometres. It coordinates 6 local municipalities: Dihlabeng, Maluti-a-Phofung, Mantsopa, Nketoana, Phumelela and Setsoto. It takes in 25 recognised towns and settlements, among them Arlington, Bethlehem, Clarens, Clocolan, Excelsior, Ficksburg, Fouriesburg, Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

Census 2022 counted 831 421 residents, making it the 1st most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 29th of 257 nationally. That works out to 25.4 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 244 415 households, averaging 3.4 people each. 27.9% of residents are under 15 and 6.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 9.3% hold a higher education qualification and 6.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 12 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 7 seats (58.3%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mrs Conny Msibi serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Ms Takatso PM Lebenya 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, Thabo Mofutsanyana scores 61.6 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of C, described as fair. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R116.7 million in operating revenue against R85.2 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R31.4 million. At the last census, 40.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.0% used electricity for lighting and 52.9% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 7
  • DA 2
  • MAP16 2
  • EFF 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mrs Conny Msibi ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Mr Thabo Mokoena ANC
Chief Whip Ms Lindiwe Makhalema
Municipal Manager Ms Takatso PM Lebenya
Chief Financial Officer Mr Duncan Mhlahlo
Mayoral Committee Ms Annah Fume MMC: IDP
Mayoral Committee Ms MJ Vilakazi MMC: Community Services and Acting MMC: LED
Mayoral Committee Mr Mosia Mokuane MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee Ms Thandi Masiteng MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Thembinkosi Mahlambi MMC: Infrastructure
Senior Management Mrs Moipone Nkomo Director: Technical Services
Senior Management Mr Ronnie Mokoena Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Ms Thembi Mlotha Manager: LED
Communications Ms Mamogolo Moshugi Manager: Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges-----
Investment revenue2 0805 5292 3742 3741 783
Transfers recognised - operational114 253147 362151 412151 412140 450
Other own revenue3227 68129 64029 64028 618
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)116 655160 572183 425183 425170 851
Employee costs54 32699 91281 18781 18782 878
Remuneration of councillors4 6349 2829 3289 32811 389
Depreciation and amortisation1 2512 2443 0813 0812 624
Finance charges-----
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases-17516116158
Transfers and subsidies2 81816 56214 68814 68810 701
Other expenditure22 19536 45562 77662 77655 145
Total Expenditure85 224164 631171 222171 222162 794
Surplus/(Deficit)31 431-4 05912 20312 2038 057
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)----1 516
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-550---
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions31 431-3 50912 20312 2039 573
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year31 431-3 50912 20312 2039 573

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure3 6931 815-70-70-140
Transfers recognised - capital-----
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds3 693----
Total sources of capital funds3 693----

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets29 137-1 64914 09114 0917 071
Total non current assets2 716-1 550-5 299-5 299828
Total current liabilities421524-3 512-3 512-5 489
Total non current liabilities-(51)100100171
Community wealth/Equity-(162)--3 644

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-71 541-2711 4501 450-909
Net cash from (used) investing----(1 839)
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-35 663-2711 4501 450-2 748

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure5481 0861 4971 333-
Irregular expenditure6 84310 15816 0919 79116 921
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure3 17464544

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population831 421779 330735 679

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1527.9%29.8%31.9%
Population 15 to 6465.3%65.0%62.6%
Population over 656.8%5.2%5.5%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)53.253.759.6

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females87.488.687.3

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.2%1.3%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/an/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/an/a

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling6.6%6.6%9.1%
Matricn/a29.424.6
Higher education9.3%8.0%7.8%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households244 415246 029217 689
Average household size3.43.23.4
Female headed householdsn/a46.346.5
Formal dwellings86.4%77.7%77.3%
Housing ownedn/a69.362.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage64.1%54.4%51.9%
Weekly refuse removal52.9%48.8%49.2%
Piped water inside dwelling40.6%25.6%33.6%
Electricity for lighting94.0%91.7%87.2%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Number of domestic households/delivery points00000
Inside the yard00000
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Flush toilet - public sewerage00000
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)81 18781 18782 87876 85664 043
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)9 3289 32811 38913 18510 874
Total Employee Positions168143125109189
Total Vacant Employee Positions111145
Total Vacancy Percentage0.6%0.7%0.8%0.9%23.8%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655556
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5611113
Managerial Positions - by organogram1818151417
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00003

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans