Compare municipalities
Put up to four municipalities side by side across their finances, service delivery and demographics. Where one measure is clearly better than another, the strongest and weakest are marked.
Profile
Statistics South Africa, Census 2022, and the Municipal Demarcation Board
| Measure | Buffalo City BUF · Eastern Cape | Nelson Mandela Bay NMA · Eastern Cape | Mangaung MAN · Free State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 975 255 | 1 190 496 | 811 431 |
| Area | 2 753 km² | 1 957 km² | 9 886 km² |
| People per square kilometre | 354.3 | 608.3 | 82.1 |
| Households | 268 438 | 307 931 | 229 426 |
| Average household size | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 |
| Council seats | 100 | 120 | 101 |
| Governing party | ANC | ANC/EFF/NA/AIC/PAC Coalition | ANC |
Financial health
National Treasury audited outcomes and the Auditor-General
| Measure | Buffalo City BUF · Eastern Cape | Nelson Mandela Bay NMA · Eastern Cape | Mangaung MAN · Free State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial health grade | E | D | E |
| Score out of 100 | 38.6 | 43.2 strongest of those compared | 34.8 weakest of those compared |
| Audit outcome | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit |
| Total revenue | R10.3 bn | R17.4 bn | R10.7 bn |
| Total expenditure | R12.1 bn | R19.0 bn | R11.9 bn |
| Operating surplus or deficit | -R1.9 bn | -R1.6 bn | -R1.2 bn |
| Operating margin | -18.1% weakest of those compared | -9.0% strongest of those compared | -10.8% |
| Current ratio | 1.16:1 | 1.67:1 strongest of those compared | 0.78:1 weakest of those compared |
| Months of cash on hand | 5.2 | 2.7 weakest of those compared | 9.7 strongest of those compared |
| Irregular spending, share of expenditure | 14.8% | 19.6% weakest of those compared | 11.9% strongest of those compared |
Household services
Statistics South Africa, Census 2022. Share of households with access.
| Measure | Buffalo City BUF · Eastern Cape | Nelson Mandela Bay NMA · Eastern Cape | Mangaung MAN · Free State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piped water inside the dwelling | 65.7% | 82.3% strongest of those compared | 47.3% weakest of those compared |
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 80.7% | 93.5% strongest of those compared | 71.0% weakest of those compared |
| Electricity for lighting | 94.6% weakest of those compared | 96.5% strongest of those compared | 95.5% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 71.3% | 88.8% strongest of those compared | 59.1% weakest of those compared |
| Formal dwellings | 85.6% weakest of those compared | 92.0% strongest of those compared | 90.1% |
People
Statistics South Africa, Census 2022
| Measure | Buffalo City BUF · Eastern Cape | Nelson Mandela Bay NMA · Eastern Cape | Mangaung MAN · Free State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 24.8% | 22.3% | 25.1% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 67.4% | 68.9% | 68.2% |
| Population over 65 | 7.8% | 8.8% | 6.7% |
| Dependency ratio per 100 | 48.3 weakest of those compared | 45.2 strongest of those compared | 46.7 |
| No schooling, aged 20 and over | 4.1% weakest of those compared | 2.5% strongest of those compared | 3.0% |
| Higher education, aged 20 and over | 15.0% strongest of those compared | 12.8% weakest of those compared | 13.3% |
Marked values show the strongest and weakest only where one direction is clearly better. Population, area and rand amounts are never marked: being larger is not being better, and a small municipality can run a modest deficit that is far worse for its size than a metro's larger one. Ratios and percentages carry those judgements instead.