MunicipalitiesSA

Umuziwabantu Local Municipality

KZN214 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by Hung Council

115 780 Population Census 2022
1 089 Square kilometres 106.3 per km2
23 319 Households
21 Council seats

Umuziwabantu Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 1 089 square kilometres. It falls within the Ugu District Municipality. Its main centre is Harding.

Census 2022 counted 115 780 residents, making it the 42nd most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 170th of 257 nationally. That works out to 106.3 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 23 319 households, averaging 5.0 people each. 36.4% of residents are under 15 and 5.6% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.5% hold a higher education qualification and 10.4% have had no schooling.

The council has 21 seats across 6 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 10 seats (47.6%). Hung Council governs the municipality. Mr Siboniso Zungu serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr TP Cele 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, uMuziwabantu scores 51.4 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R222.7 million in operating revenue against R266.4 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R43.6 million. At the last census, 23.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 96.5% used electricity for lighting and 23.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 10
  • IFP 6
  • EFF 2
  • ABC 1
  • ALJAM-AH 1
  • DA 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Siboniso Zungu ANC
Deputy Mayor NP Luthuli ANC
Speaker PN Shebi ANC
Chief Whip GM Cele
Municipal Manager Mr TP Cele
Chief Financial Officer Hlanzeka Mchunu
Mayoral Committee MV Vezi Exco Member
Mayoral Committee S Mzindle Exco Member
Mayoral Committee SS Maphumulo Chairperson: MPAC
Senior Management Mr S Mkhize Director: Technical Services
Senior Management Mr S Mohlaoli Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr S Zungu Director: Community Service
Communications Ms Nkosikhona Zwane
Communications Mr SB Jabulani Head of 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 rates28 44725 26225 16720 04325 853
Service charges54 59040 92136 30141 06336 904
Investment revenue6 4998 6877 9395 7735 523
Transfers recognised - operational128 706122 087115 419108 314120 130
Other own revenue4 4847 72420 88110 6549 273
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)222 727204 680205 706185 847197 682
Employee costs87 75283 38181 37175 86976 974
Remuneration of councillors10 42610 4119 3158 1968 653
Depreciation and amortisation26 89535 15524 60821 13721 197
Finance charges7981 371426558433
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases59 58749 67442 32841 68537 327
Transfers and subsidies4 7951 4061 4753 4034 150
Other expenditure76 124106 30785 72264 31451 832
Total Expenditure266 376287 705245 245215 163200 566
Surplus/(Deficit)-43 649-83 025-39 538-29 316-2 883
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)27 54938 12526 55832 46422 922
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)----795
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-16 101-44 900-12 9803 14820 834
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate---(1 440)4 977
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-16 101-44 900-12 9801 70825 811

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure-2 22426 14442 79261 26756 590
Transfers recognised - capital-4 28727 99515 49431 205101 098
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds2 0635 37015 0296 685-44 508
Total sources of capital funds-2 22433 36530 52337 89056 590

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets191 100182 566215 005224 953216 161
Total non current assets434 096436 694442 699426 109386 052
Total current liabilities159 222139 911133 701111 05085 658
Total non current liabilities35 09531 98429 92033 91113 970
Community wealth/Equity430 878447 365494 082506 101502 585

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating19 45312 661-6 9977 124199 404
Net cash from (used) investing-26 970-41 723-44 563-44 366-62 230
Net cash from (used) financing----(6)
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end47 96268 55172 80873 763197 253

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure---99
Irregular expenditure14 1325 5385 80813 25126 391
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure43499823988

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population115 780108 57696 556

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1536.4%46.1%40.5%
Population 15 to 6457.9%50.7%54.5%
Population over 655.6%3.2%5.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)72.697.383.4

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females8992.186.4

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.8%2.7%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a33
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a42.2

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling10.4%15.3%16.3%
Matricn/a20.915.3
Higher education6.5%7.2%4.8%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households23 31921 17221 619
Average household size55.14.5
Female headed householdsn/a53.756.6
Formal dwellings73.2%39.5%47.7%
Housing ownedn/a84.266.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage23.6%8.2%12.2%
Weekly refuse removal23.0%14.2%15.7%
Piped water inside dwelling23.3%6.5%10.3%
Electricity for lighting96.5%89.9%80.3%

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 provided10 00810 00810 00810 0089 431
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 9957 0668 8038 8036 587

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 3173 3173 3173 3172 647
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 6191 6391 8791 8791 611

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)81 37175 86976 97467 88362 360
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)9 3158 1968 6538 7388 529
Total Employee Positions259239223223216
Total Vacant Employee Positions310070
Total Vacancy Percentage1.2%4.2%0.0%3.1%0.0%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655552
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5632030
Managerial Positions - by organogram1820171713
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00040

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans