Analysis
What the municipal figures show, written up from the audited numbers behind every profile on this site. Rankings, explainers and the questions readers ask most.
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City of Tshwane: population, budget and financial health
City of Tshwane serves 4 040 315 residents on a budget of R46.9 billion. Its financial health grade is E, distressed.
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Nelson Mandela Bay: population, budget and financial health
Nelson Mandela Bay serves 1 190 496 residents on a budget of R19.0 billion. Its financial health grade is D, under strain.
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Buffalo City: population, budget and financial health
Buffalo City serves 975 255 residents on a budget of R12.1 billion. Its financial health grade is E, distressed.
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Mangaung: population, budget and financial health
Mangaung serves 811 431 residents on a budget of R11.9 billion. Its financial health grade is E, distressed.
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City of Johannesburg or Cape Town: which municipality is better run?
City of Johannesburg and Cape Town compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. City of Johannesburg scores 38.9 out of 100 for financial health, Cape Town scores 81.1.
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City of Johannesburg or City of Tshwane: which municipality is better run?
City of Johannesburg and City of Tshwane compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. City of Johannesburg scores 38.9 out of 100 for financial health, City of Tshwane scores 27.8.
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Cape Town or eThekwini: which municipality is better run?
Cape Town and eThekwini compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. Cape Town scores 81.1 out of 100 for financial health, eThekwini scores 56.5.
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City of Johannesburg or City of Ekurhuleni: which municipality is better run?
City of Johannesburg and City of Ekurhuleni compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. City of Johannesburg scores 38.9 out of 100 for financial health, City of Ekurhuleni scores 38.7.
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City of Tshwane or City of Ekurhuleni: which municipality is better run?
City of Tshwane and City of Ekurhuleni compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. City of Tshwane scores 27.8 out of 100 for financial health, City of Ekurhuleni scores 38.7.
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Nelson Mandela Bay or Buffalo City: which municipality is better run?
Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. Nelson Mandela Bay scores 43.2 out of 100 for financial health, Buffalo City scores 38.6.
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eThekwini or Mangaung: which municipality is better run?
eThekwini and Mangaung compared on audited finances, service delivery and demographics. eThekwini scores 56.5 out of 100 for financial health, Mangaung scores 34.8.
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Where South Africans are most and least educated, by municipality
Census 2022 recorded the share of adults with a higher education qualification, and the share with no schooling at all. The gap between municipalities is very wide.
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The youngest and oldest municipalities in South Africa
Some South African municipalities have more than a third of residents under 15. Others have an unusually high share over 65. The age profile shapes what services are needed.
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The largest municipal councils in South Africa
Council size ranges from a handful of seats to hundreds. The number of councillors is set by the number of registered voters, not by choice, and the number of parties matters as much as the number of seats.
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What South African municipalities spend on building things
Capital expenditure is what a municipality spends on infrastructure rather than on running costs. It is the clearest signal of whether it is investing in the future or simply keeping the lights on.
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Which municipalities depend most on national government transfers
Some South African municipalities raise most of their own revenue. Others depend almost entirely on transfers from national government, which leaves them with very little room to manoeuvre.
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How to check you are registered to vote in the 2026 municipal elections
South Africa votes for municipal councils on 4 November 2026. You must be registered in the ward where you live, and ward boundaries have changed since 2021.
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What changed in South African local government since 2021
The 2021 local elections produced an unusual number of hung councils. Five years on, the financial and governance record of that term is on the table.