MunicipalitiesSA

uThukela District Municipality

DC23 District KwaZulu-Natal Governed by n/a

789 092 Population Census 2022
11 134 Square kilometres 70.9 per km2
172 197 Households
13 Council seats Coalition governed

uThukela District Municipality is a district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 11 134 square kilometres. It coordinates 3 local municipalities: Alfred Duma, Inkosi Langalibalele and Okhahlamba. It takes in the towns and settlements of Bergville, Cathkin Park, Colenso, Estcourt, Van Reenen, Weenen, Winterton and uMnambithi (Ladysmith).

Census 2022 counted 789 092 residents, making it the 6th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 34th of 257 nationally. That works out to 70.9 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 172 197 households, averaging 4.6 people each. 30.5% of residents are under 15 and 6.0% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.6% hold a higher education qualification and 9.9% have had no schooling.

The council has 13 seats across 4 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 6 seats (46.2%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala (Chairperson: Finance Portfolio Committee) serves as executive mayor (IFP), and Mr LS Jili 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, Uthukela scores 29.3 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R1.0 billion in operating revenue against R1.3 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R318.0 million. At the last census, 40.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.8% used electricity for lighting and 45.2% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • IFP 6
  • ANC 5
  • APEMO 1
  • DA 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala (Chairperson: Finance Portfolio Committee) IFP
Deputy Mayor Mr M Mkhize IFP
Speaker Mrs TY Nqubuka IFP
Chief Whip n/a
Municipal Manager Mr LS Jili
Chief Financial Officer Mr BB Sithole
Mayoral Committee Mr AS Mazibuko
Mayoral Committee Mr F Zuma Chairperson: Corporate Services Portfolio Committee
Mayoral Committee Mr MM Khoza Chairperson: Infrastructural Portfolio Committee
Mayoral Committee Ms NW Mchunu
Mayoral Committee Mr TDJ Van Rensburg Chairperson: Municipal Public Accounts Committee
Senior Management Mr BH Khoza General Manager: Municipal Health and Water Services Authority
Senior Management Mr BS Hlomuka General Manager: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr CS Dube General Manager: Water Services and Technical Services
Senior Management Mr OS Mnguni General Manager: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr W Viljoen Acting General Manager: Social and Economic Services
Communications Mr Jabulani Mkhonza
Administrator Mr Mzubanzi Silinga

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges280 382295 617229 402259 287271 055
Investment revenue6 6138 5575 9583 9225 357
Transfers recognised - operational650 924586 406545 552516 839535 441
Other own revenue75 82079 34752 990111 088131 635
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 013 739969 927833 902891 135943 488
Employee costs404 820361 224349 172366 528350 386
Remuneration of councillors6 2846 1546 3896 4636 364
Depreciation and amortisation89 41386 48487 35281 73272 621
Finance charges19 23416 3528 6146 6492 738
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases106 64297 29944 87762 022152 171
Transfers and subsidies-3 2853 120--
Other expenditure705 355629 586598 515514 319708 593
Total Expenditure1 331 7471 200 3841 098 0391 037 7121 292 873
Surplus/(Deficit)-318 009-230 457-264 137-146 577-349 385
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)267 242291 328244 868290 719293 785
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-50 76760 871-19 269144 142-55 600
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-50 76760 871-19 269144 142-55 600

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure----275 281
Transfers recognised - capital-4 349----
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds----31
Total sources of capital funds-4 349---31

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets310 043373 384325 347353 960310 552
Total non current assets3 551 7223 405 5583 253 7863 179 3783 035 254
Total current liabilities1 334 5571 047 255868 609781 111674 880
Total non current liabilities41 59540 77633 83732 27729 012
Community wealth/Equity2 485 6122 690 9112 676 6742 711 7762 641 914

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating870 883756 563797 9891 074 042941 765
Net cash from (used) investing-218 103-218 990-193 232-236 947-226 959
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end658 589551 262619 1271 392 297-79 216

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure344 877256 335155 450137 88662 344
Irregular expenditure258 233385 200383 091307 37182 826
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure13 26511 79848 52314 1863 846

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population789 092706 588668 072

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1530.5%37.1%36.8%
Population 15 to 6463.5%58.6%58.5%
Population over 656.0%4.3%4.7%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)57.570.670.9

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females87.289.587

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.6%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 schooling9.9%10.0%14.0%
Matricn/a33.326.5
Higher education7.6%6.6%6.0%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households172 197161 788147 143
Average household size4.64.44.5
Female headed householdsn/a52.752.7
Formal dwellings84.1%69.8%65.9%
Housing ownedn/a7951.1

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage46.5%29.0%33.9%
Weekly refuse removal45.2%31.3%33.2%
Piped water inside dwelling40.7%22.3%28.7%
Electricity for lighting94.8%85.4%74.5%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided123 492123 081122 392121 664121 664
Number of domestic households/delivery points122 432122 021121 332120 604120 604
Inside the yard77 32776 91676 26675 57775 577
Less than 200m from yard28 58928 58928 58928 58928 589
More than 200m from yard16 51616 51616 47716 43816 438
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 3731 2272 3109 8009 800

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?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided136 529134 529133 489132 958132 958
Flush toilet - public sewerage47 39047 39047 39047 39047 390
Flush toilet - septic tank2 9932 9932 9932 9932 993
Ventilated pit latrine41 54139 54138 51137 98037 980
Bucket system00000
Other44 01744 01744 01744 01744 017
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 3731 2272 3109 8009 800

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)349 172366 528350 386311 512281 081
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)6 3896 4636 3646 3656 296
Total Employee Positions1 2731 1881 1891 1861 186
Total Vacant Employee Positions817000
Total Vacancy Percentage0.6%1.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5610000
Managerial Positions - by organogram3434343131
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram717000

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans