MunicipalitiesSA

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

BUF Metropolitan Eastern Cape Governed by ANC

975 255 Population Census 2022
2 753 Square kilometres 354.3 per km2
268 438 Households
100 Council seats

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is one of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities, the category reserved for the country’s largest urban centres, and it governs 2 753 square kilometres of Eastern Cape. It takes in 12 recognised towns and settlements, among them Beacon Bay, Bisho, Breidbach, Dimbaza, Kidd’s Beach, KuGompo City (East London), Mdantsane, Ntabozuko (Berlin).

Census 2022 counted 975 255 residents, making it the 3rd most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 20th of 257 nationally. That works out to 354.3 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 268 438 households, averaging 3.6 people each. 24.8% of residents are under 15 and 7.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 15.0% hold a higher education qualification and 4.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 100 seats across 9 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 61 seats (61.0%). ANC governs the municipality. Ms Princess Faku serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mxolisi Yawa 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, Buffalo City scores 38.6 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 R10.3 billion in operating revenue against R12.1 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R1.9 billion. At the last census, 65.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.6% used electricity for lighting and 71.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 61
  • DA 20
  • EFF 13
  • ACDP 1
  • AIC 1
  • ATM 1
  • PAC 1
  • UDM 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Ms Princess Faku ANC
Deputy Mayor Ms Helen Neale-May ANC
Speaker Mr Humprey Maxegwana ANC
Chief Whip Ms Sixolisiwe Ntsasela
Municipal Manager Mxolisi Yawa
Chief Financial Officer Mr Vincent Pillay Acting
Mayoral Committee Ms Clara Yekiso-Morolong MMC: Community Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Graham Lottering MMC: Sport and Community Development
Mayoral Committee Mr Kayise Tom MMC: Corporate Service
Mayoral Committee Mr Malibongwe Mfazwe MMC: Human Settlements
Mayoral Committee Ms Noma-Afrika Maxongo MMC: Finance Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Sangweni Matwele MMC: Spatial Development Planning
Mayoral Committee Mr Yomelela Tyali MMC: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Bob Naidoo HOD: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Howard Sikweza Acting HOD: Sports, Recreation and Culture
Senior Management Luyanda Mbula HOD: Human Settlements
Senior Management Nceba Ncunyana HOD: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Ncumisa Sidukwana HOD: Executive Support Services
Senior Management Noludwe Ncokazi HOD: Economic Development
Senior Management Nonceba Mbali-Majeng HOD: Spatial Development Planning
Senior Management Vuyani Lwana HOD: Health and Public Safety
Senior Management Ms Yoliswa Sinyanya HOD: Solid Waste
Communications Mr Samkelo Ngwenya

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates2 169 0152 127 6341 791 3701 733 9141 589 415
Service charges4 994 1554 333 8293 766 3154 312 9933 937 345
Investment revenue72 21551 63047 66033 08641 289
Transfers recognised - operational1 482 1491 382 8761 192 8151 099 2551 921 555
Other own revenue1 561 5771 457 4541 254 5611 069 938395 202
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)10 279 1119 353 4228 052 7218 249 1867 884 807
Employee costs2 787 5212 703 2012 475 6132 536 4032 501 193
Remuneration of councillors70 37368 96766 74964 68363 813
Depreciation and amortisation2 362 8531 944 4811 846 0541 569 7971 401 969
Finance charges44 44946 21116 07520 68425 757
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases2 983 7982 589 3192 256 2052 293 2101 959 822
Transfers and subsidies102 451131 531137 495127 299104 912
Other expenditure3 783 7613 287 7712 312 4452 589 0202 219 522
Total Expenditure12 135 20410 771 4819 110 6369 201 0968 276 988
Surplus/(Deficit)-1 856 094-1 418 058-1 057 916-951 910-392 181
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)773 040855 178744 644687 0651 070 973
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)5 66622 4094 1602 29410 036
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-1 077 387-540 471-309 111-262 551688 828
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate1 976-40 75020 143--
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-1 075 412-581 222-288 968-262 551688 828

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure1 194 7981 110 1641 425 9461 408 5151 591 352
Transfers recognised - capital702 486763 360696 267624 388970 986
Borrowing---11 7273 079
Internally generated funds492 312346 805729 679772 324617 287
Total sources of capital funds1 194 7981 110 1641 425 9461 408 4391 591 352

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets13 548 21612 514 20511 194 27410 217 2129 662 966
Total non current assets42 430 56231 714 70926 076 17725 670 88122 692 272
Total current liabilities11 697 17610 993 17310 171 1378 865 3998 116 984
Total non current liabilities1 325 199961 557951 9981 143 9331 072 361
Community wealth/Equity45 618 34832 274 18526 147 31425 878 76223 165 893

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating5 742 9593 393 1464 913 5514 248 3264 317 844
Net cash from (used) investing-1 176 149-1 110 048-1 425 944-1 407 092-1 586 520
Net cash from (used) financing-30 346-30 246-49 141-45 191-54 396
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end5 257 4512 932 8264 135 9243 941 4514 050 639

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure646 823403 496-163 702-
Irregular expenditure1 139 6431 317 7401 713 3126 523 479311 223
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure5 6236935410 732-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population975 255834 997781 853

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1524.8%31.6%26.5%
Population 15 to 6467.4%64.4%67.4%
Population over 657.8%4.1%6.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)48.355.448.4

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females89.993.890.4

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.2%1.5%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 schooling4.1%4.0%5.1%
Matricn/a3126.2
Higher education15.0%13.7%13.2%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households268 438253 477230 764
Average household size3.63.33.4
Female headed householdsn/a45.345.9
Formal dwellings85.6%70.2%71.9%
Housing ownedn/a54.250.5

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage80.7%73.1%69.1%
Weekly refuse removal71.3%57.1%68.2%
Piped water inside dwelling65.7%50.2%51.0%
Electricity for lighting94.6%86.6%80.9%

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 provided299 932299 415306 071305 569258 456
Number of domestic households/delivery points292 777292 260298 915298 413251 745
Inside the yard161 520161 144166 294165 705122 000
Less than 200m from yard129 436128 995126 521127 638125 031
More than 200m from yard1 8212 1216 1005 0704 714
Domestic households with access to free basic service52 43282 878124 152125 352125 641

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided167 812167 706167 095166 190163 702
Domestic households with access to free basic service52 43251 54760 52961 32080 831

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided253 859252 332250 033245 143240 371
Flush toilet - public sewerage161 520161 520166 294165 705159 697
Flush toilet - septic tank5 4375 437005 437
Ventilated pit latrine53 29551 89550 35547 08743 353
Bucket system00000
Other26 45226 32526 22825 42524 958
Domestic households with access to free basic service32 13540 73840 15061 32080 831

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided157 392157 392149 551149 551128 046
Domestic households with access to free basic service45 94543 45345 43661 32080 831

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)2 475 6132 536 4032 501 1932 206 0102 049 372
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)66 74964 68363 81364 68762 316
Total Employee Positions6 1486 0055 5195 9926 085
Total Vacant Employee Positions7616111329786
Total Vacancy Percentage12.4%10.2%0.0%5.5%12.9%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S56101010108
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5601110
Managerial Positions - by organogram251244198199256
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram20230063

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans