MunicipalitiesSA

uMfolozi Local Municipality

KZN281 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by Hung Council

159 668 Population Census 2022
1 300 Square kilometres 122.8 per km2
28 517 Households
35 Council seats

uMfolozi Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 1 300 square kilometres. It falls within the King Cetshwayo District Municipality. Its main centre is KwaMbonambi.

Census 2022 counted 159 668 residents, making it the 31st most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 127th of 257 nationally. That works out to 122.8 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 28 517 households, averaging 5.6 people each. 30.9% of residents are under 15 and 5.0% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.0% hold a higher education qualification and 12.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 35 seats across 4 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 18 seats (51.4%). Hung Council governs the municipality. Mr XM Bhengu serves as executive mayor (IFP), and Mr Khulumokwakhe Elliot Gamede 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, Mfolozi scores 63.3 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 R254.9 million in operating revenue against R263.2 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R8.3 million. At the last census, 23.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 98.1% used electricity for lighting and 21.1% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • IFP 18
  • ANC 13
  • EFF 3
  • NFP 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr XM Bhengu IFP
Deputy Mayor Mr NN Gumede IFP
Speaker Mr MM Mthiyane IFP
Chief Whip Mr C Makhunga
Municipal Manager Mr Khulumokwakhe Elliot Gamede
Chief Financial Officer Mr MT Nkosi
Mayoral Committee Mr BT Ntombela
Mayoral Committee Ms SP Mpanza
Mayoral Committee Mr TM Biyela
Senior Management Mr KH Zulu Corporate and Community Services
Senior Management Mrs M Soni Technical Services
Senior Management Mr SS Maphanga LED Manager
Communications Mr Phillani P Khumalo

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 rates44 48343 26527 09925 63523 840
Service charges757698669667598
Investment revenue5 8644 5953 8452 1951 618
Transfers recognised - operational198 576189 349172 755155 188173 315
Other own revenue5 2164 1204 1883 0322 568
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)254 896242 028208 555186 716201 938
Employee costs90 01585 13576 69073 11770 161
Remuneration of councillors14 68314 57613 25712 19711 227
Depreciation and amortisation38 17929 56634 55033 19419 669
Finance charges445518611488692
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases1 5442 2112 1271 7933 083
Transfers and subsidies2 2375 3864 6038231 086
Other expenditure116 132121 076104 880107 97877 564
Total Expenditure263 236258 469236 718229 591183 482
Surplus/(Deficit)-8 340-16 441-28 162-42 87518 456
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)40 31032 29939 19854 01952 343
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)--2 032--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions31 97115 85813 06811 14470 799
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year31 97115 85813 06811 14470 799

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure24 423593 960551 938510 936458 403
Transfers recognised - capital22 10814 03058 89455 10542 848
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds2 315578 381491 495453 937415 116
Total sources of capital funds24 423592 411550 389509 042457 963

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets93 74655 44750 80947 62960 688
Total non current assets409 434409 390396 458389 391366 109
Total current liabilities36 76727 23926 40524 21327 659
Total non current liabilities4 0157 1706 8726 8957 017
Community wealth/Equity430 428414 571400 922383 624250 523

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating372 964308 73515 774-4086
Net cash from (used) investing-----
Net cash from (used) financing-1 224-3 409-2 447-1 224-
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end391 879305 32813 329-1 6308

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure9 08639 02542 978148 5449 688
Irregular expenditure36 11871 17134 49553 67045 002
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure13634401 93615

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population159 668144 363125 669

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1530.9%41.1%36.5%
Population 15 to 6464.1%54.9%58.8%
Population over 655.0%4.1%4.6%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)55.982.269.9

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females92.994.291.7

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.3%1.8%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 schooling12.1%16.8%15.5%
Matricn/a33.730.2
Higher education6.0%4.4%2.9%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households28 51730 47025 184
Average household size5.64.75
Female headed householdsn/a48.446.9
Formal dwellings88.7%66.3%70.6%
Housing ownedn/a91.858.4

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage26.0%3.7%9.3%
Weekly refuse removal21.1%12.0%6.3%
Piped water inside dwelling23.3%6.9%10.5%
Electricity for lighting98.1%95.9%83.7%

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?YesYesYesNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided16 92016 73916 73916 73916 739
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 4991 1581 2581 4371 437

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?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided3 4173 250853853853
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 611513513507507

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)76 69073 11770 16160 85354 770
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)13 25712 19711 22711 16610 842
Total Employee Positions256173186150185
Total Vacant Employee Positions12115123
Total Vacancy Percentage4.7%6.4%2.7%0.7%12.4%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600010
Managerial Positions - by organogram1010141418
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram01502

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans