Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is one of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities, governing 2 753 square kilometres of Eastern Cape with no district municipality above it.
The essentials
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| MDB code | BUF |
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| Population | 975 255 |
| Households | 268 438 |
| Area | 2 753 km2 |
| People per km2 | 354.3 |
| Council seats | 100 |
| Parties in council | 9 |
| Governing party | ANC |
| Executive mayor | Princess Faku |
Money
In its most recent audited year Buffalo City reported R10.3 billion in operating revenue against R12.1 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R1.9 billion. Its audit outcome was recorded as qualified audit.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Financial health grade | E | Distressed |
| Score out of 100 | 38.6 | Ranked 6 of 8 metros |
| Operating margin | -18.1% | Operating costs exceeded revenue |
| Current ratio | 1.16:1 | Short-term assets cover short-term bills |
| Months of cash | 5.2 | At least a month of operating cover |
| Irregular spending | 14.8% | Share of expenditure flagged by the Auditor-General |
Household services
| Service | Buffalo City | All 8 metros average |
|---|---|---|
| Piped water inside dwelling | 65.7% | 71.6% |
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 80.7% | 85.6% |
| Electricity for lighting | 94.6% | 95.1% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 71.3% | 81.3% |
How it compares with the other metros
Buffalo City ranks 6 of the eight metropolitan municipalities on financial health. Ranked against all 257 municipalities in the country, it sits in the lowest band.
| Metro | Grade | Score | Operating margin | Months of cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | B | 81.1 | 4.6% | 3.6 |
| eThekwini | C | 56.5 | -4.7% | 4.9 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay | D | 43.2 | -9.0% | 2.7 |
| City of Johannesburg | E | 38.9 | -3.4% | 1.5 |
| City of Ekurhuleni | E | 38.7 | -4.8% | -3.4 |
| Buffalo City | E | 38.6 | -18.1% | 5.2 |
| Mangaung | E | 34.8 | -10.8% | 9.7 |
| City of Tshwane | E | 27.8 | 2.3% | -4.8 |
What the figures suggest
Buffalo City spent more on day-to-day operations than it collected, an operating deficit of R1.9 billion. A deficit has to be funded from somewhere, usually by delaying payments to creditors or drawing down cash. Cash cover exceeds three months, comfortably above the level National Treasury regards as adequate. Short-term assets cover short-term obligations.
Who runs it
The council has 100 seats across 9 parties, and is governed by ANC. The executive mayor is Princess Faku of the ANC. All of these positions are contested at the local government elections on 4 November 2026.
In context
Buffalo City is one of 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape. See the full Buffalo City profile for contact details, the complete council, five years of audited figures and published documents, or put it beside another municipality in the comparison tool.
Common questions
How many people live in Buffalo City?
Census 2022 recorded 975 255 residents across 2 753 square kilometres, which works out to 354.3 people per square kilometre.
What is Buffalo City’s annual budget?
It reported R12.1 billion in operating expenditure and R10.3 billion in operating revenue in its most recent audited year.
Who is the mayor of Buffalo City?
Princess Faku of the ANC. The full council and senior management are listed on the Buffalo City profile, which is updated as appointments change.
Figures on this page come from National Treasury, Statistics South Africa and the Auditor-General, as set out in the sources and methodology. Read the methodology