MunicipalitiesSA

Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality

MP301 Local Mpumalanga Governed by ANC

247 664 Population Census 2022
5 553 Square kilometres 44.6 per km2
63 303 Households
49 Council seats

Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality is a local municipality in Mpumalanga, covering 5 553 square kilometres. It falls within the Gert Sibande District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Carolina, Ekulindeni, Empuluzi and eManzana.

Census 2022 counted 247 664 residents, making it the 12th most populous of the 20 municipalities in Mpumalanga and 93rd of 257 nationally. That works out to 44.6 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 63 303 households, averaging 3.9 people each. 30.7% of residents are under 15 and 5.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.6% hold a higher education qualification and 14.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 49 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 38 seats (77.6%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Mbuso Petros Magubane serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr ME Thabethe 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, Albert Luthuli scores 47.4 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R700.8 million in operating revenue against R812.2 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R111.4 million. At the last census, 35.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 96.1% used electricity for lighting and 33.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 38
  • EFF 8
  • APC 1
  • DA 1
  • IFP 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Mbuso Petros Magubane ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Sibongile V Gininda ANC
Chief Whip Lindiwe Masuku-Sidu
Municipal Manager Mr ME Thabethe
Chief Financial Officer Ms MM Sekgobela
Mayoral Committee Ms ES Dhlamini MMC: Community Safety Services
Mayoral Committee Ms GG Zulu MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee JT Mathebula MMC: Special Programmes, Monitoring and Evaluation
Mayoral Committee Ms NG Thomo Chairperson: MPAC
Mayoral Committee Mr RM Motaung MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee Mr SN Dube MMC: Technical Services
Mayoral Committee Ms SP Nkosi MMC: PED
Senior Management Mr LT Motloung
Senior Management Mr SI Malaza Director: Community Safety Services
Senior Management Mr SS Sibeko Director: Corporate Services
Communications Ms NT Zulu Communications and Marketing
Communications Mr Thapelo Phetla Manager: Communications and Marketing

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates89 11468 19062 11891 81096 012
Service charges86 56182 26060 87164 33364 716
Investment revenue14 57716 2079 5464 9977 240
Transfers recognised - operational448 332422 663400 267355 561398 244
Other own revenue62 22549 46846 40657 46061 090
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)700 808638 788579 209574 161627 302
Employee costs261 571247 600231 551220 324205 064
Remuneration of councillors24 06723 40221 75220 31920 024
Depreciation and amortisation79 46567 40170 738-66 08357 360
Finance charges10 9489 5478 4407 7586 213
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases185 587155 689117 513111 576117 024
Transfers and subsidies2 7283 4502 6881 8842 831
Other expenditure247 798269 176274 866305 171332 000
Total Expenditure812 163776 264727 548600 950740 515
Surplus/(Deficit)-111 354-137 476-148 339-26 789-113 213
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)479 425502 333359 493442 684412 453
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)1 9167 7761 500-1 480
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions369 987372 633212 654415 896300 720
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year369 987372 633212 654415 896300 720

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure454 113447 73876 243384 728374 280
Transfers recognised - capital412 091422 29749 128361 191345 116
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds34 63523 30115 67620 9362 195
Total sources of capital funds446 726445 59864 803382 126347 311

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets137 721127 443161 535229 506232 362
Total non current assets3 076 2272 702 6712 328 5152 363 9771 787 899
Total current liabilities218 408232 082267 031266 699259 745
Total non current liabilities139 297119 25918 3554 3015 487
Community wealth/Equity2 856 2442 478 7741 992 0101 906 5881 454 309

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating942 817660 267-188 584-113 150860 798
Net cash from (used) investing-449 334-474 364--79 944-396 961
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end514 263194 211-158 433-133 285565 163

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure52 511---9 860
Irregular expenditure3 3278 42942 67362 83916 189
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure1 1083 4271117122

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population247 664187 629186 010

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1530.7%34.1%36.5%
Population 15 to 6463.6%60.3%58.2%
Population over 655.7%5.7%5.3%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)57.265.971.7

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females8889.188.2

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.8%0.2%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a35.4
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a45.1

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling14.1%15.5%19.9%
Matricn/a31.827
Higher education5.6%5.8%6.0%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households63 30353 48047 705
Average household size3.93.53.9
Female headed householdsn/a48.449.3
Formal dwellings93.2%80.2%76.5%
Housing ownedn/a77.856.3

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage39.9%19.2%20.5%
Weekly refuse removal33.3%15.0%19.3%
Piped water inside dwelling35.1%11.6%22.6%
Electricity for lighting96.1%95.0%87.5%

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 provided47 20547 19854 13654 13648 833
Number of domestic households/delivery points45 11945 11253 48053 48048 333
Inside the yard35 97735 97742 88440 73235 434
Less than 200m from yard4 8284 8214 8216 3303 849
More than 200m from yard4 3144 3145 7756 4189 050
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2486356351 2871 287

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided52 21051 71051 71051 30751 775
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2488088081 2871 287

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided52 17452 17452 55152 33546 871
Flush toilet - public sewerage32 55232 55210 74410 2459 809
Flush toilet - septic tank6726722 032813100
Ventilated pit latrine16 83216 83220 06226 51918 962
Bucket system00000
Other323219 10014 10217 500
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2486356351 2871 287

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided15 08213 42513 42513 40913 409
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2486356351 2871 287

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)231 551220 324205 064182 351172 888
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)21 75220 31920 02419 94518 505
Total Employee Positions489483488408468
Total Vacant Employee Positions0122464
Total Vacancy Percentage0.0%2.5%0.4%1.0%13.7%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666776
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5601021
Managerial Positions - by organogram3232402828
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram051122

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans