MunicipalitiesSA

uMsinga Local Municipality

KZN244 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by IFP

206 001 Population Census 2022
2 375 Square kilometres 86.7 per km2
35 561 Households
41 Council seats

uMsinga Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 2 375 square kilometres. It falls within the uMzinyathi District Municipality. Its main centre is Pomeroy.

Census 2022 counted 206 001 residents, making it the 25th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 111th of 257 nationally. That works out to 86.7 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 35 561 households, averaging 5.8 people each. 38.5% of residents are under 15 and 5.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 3.2% hold a higher education qualification and 29.0% have had no schooling.

The council has 41 seats across 5 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 27 seats (65.9%). IFP governs the municipality. Dr FJ Sikhakhane serves as executive mayor (IFP), and Mr SL Sokhela 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, Msinga scores 86.9 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of A, described as strong. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R288.5 million in operating revenue against R271.5 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R17.0 million. At the last census, 12.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 89.6% used electricity for lighting and 11.7% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • IFP 27
  • ANC 11
  • ABC 1
  • EFF 1
  • INDEPENDENT 1

Office bearers

Mayor Dr FJ Sikhakhane IFP
Deputy Mayor Thenjiwe Mbatha IFP
Speaker Sifindo G Masimula IFP
Chief Whip Mr Mhawukeleni Sokhela
Municipal Manager Mr SL Sokhela
Chief Financial Officer Mr NG Mvelase
Mayoral Committee BP Ngcobo Development Planning
Mayoral Committee Mr LB Ntuli Technical Services
Mayoral Committee SK Hadebe EXCO Member
Mayoral Committee Mr TB Mbatha Community Services
Senior Management Mrs BT Hlubi Planning Services
Senior Management Ms MS Xulu Community Services
Senior Management Mr S Mnguni Technical Services
Senior Management Ms Snethemba Sokhela Manager: LED
Senior Management Ms TNF Nkala Corporate Services
Communications Ms T Mchunu

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates17 31626 95033 42819 49118 021
Service charges1 1801 0391 4980-
Investment revenue12 66511 5947 1684 7624 779
Transfers recognised - operational254 804257 708320 747182 049217 471
Other own revenue2 52364 4023 9381 1127 817
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)288 487361 693366 781207 415248 088
Employee costs120 430100 56291 34178 66876 828
Remuneration of councillors2 81319 60618 55815 94115 062
Depreciation and amortisation43136 52639 84032 64629 531
Finance charges-----
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases6998 9796 80727 19719 150
Transfers and subsidies87----
Other expenditure147 075192 750133 614109 43980 098
Total Expenditure271 534358 422290 160263 891220 670
Surplus/(Deficit)16 9533 27076 621-56 47727 418
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)59 83353 15359 41456 10336 733
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions76 78556 423136 035-37364 151
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year76 78556 423136 035-37364 151

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure59 16965 63560 500-177 891-214 634
Transfers recognised - capital19 48751 15736 653155 939127 832
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds11 50713 76823 53318 4428 904
Total sources of capital funds30 99464 92560 187174 381136 736

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets188 963189 156178 65394 801124 131
Total non current assets320 300239 779-30 468251 329239 060
Total current liabilities33 17031 02811 60937 43233 779
Total non current liabilities10 6989 2985476 9936 524
Community wealth/Equity465 780388 610-7555 851322 910

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating262 706606 534520 343500 164529 437
Net cash from (used) investing-85 673-121 900-144 048-63 539-50 042
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end253 603536 833372 650501 386100 961

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure--6 75931 98724 711
Irregular expenditure-12 07424 5327 225808
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure1 007-30141-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population206 001184 494169 145

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1538.5%41.9%43.9%
Population 15 to 6455.6%53.3%50.7%
Population over 655.9%4.7%5.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)79.887.597.1

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females77.280.776.8

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.9%2.0%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 schooling29.0%36.6%40.6%
Matricn/a18.616.9
Higher education3.2%5.5%3.1%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households35 56138 37235 586
Average household size5.84.84.8
Female headed householdsn/a6766.6
Formal dwellings55.4%25.9%33.5%
Housing ownedn/a8669.1

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage12.0%0.9%3.4%
Weekly refuse removal11.7%0.3%1.3%
Piped water inside dwelling12.6%1.7%3.9%
Electricity for lighting89.6%47.9%25.1%

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?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided19 89619 89619 89619 89618 700
Domestic households with access to free basic service25012 37412 31412 2743 946

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 provided1 8201 8201 7801 7201 500
Domestic households with access to free basic service4671 6001 5401 5001 500

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)91 34178 66876 82858 29357 865
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)18 55815 94115 06217 42111 843
Total Employee Positions339388324329300
Total Vacant Employee Positions3448405
Total Vacancy Percentage10.0%12.4%1.2%0.0%1.7%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5601000
Managerial Positions - by organogram2222222124
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram01405

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans