Emakhazeni Local Municipality
Emakhazeni Local Municipality is a local municipality in Mpumalanga, covering 4 736 square kilometres. It falls within the Nkangala District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Dullstroom, Emgwenya (Waterval Boven), eMakhazeni and eNtokozweni (Machadodorp).
Census 2022 counted 50 165 residents, making it the 19th most populous of the 20 municipalities in Mpumalanga and 225th of 257 nationally. That works out to 10.6 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 19 613 households, averaging 2.6 people each. 23.3% of residents are under 15 and 6.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.2% hold a higher education qualification and 13.2% have had no schooling.
The council has 15 seats across 3 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 10 seats (66.7%). ANC governs the municipality. Ms Nomhle Adelaide Mashele serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr W Shabangu 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, Emakhazeni scores 32.3 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 R565.4 million in operating revenue against R662.4 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R97.0 million. At the last census, 80.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.2% used electricity for lighting and 86.7% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 10 66.7%
- EFF 3 20.0%
- DA 2 13.3%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Adverse audit | Adverse audit | Adverse audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 77 876 | 74 249 | 73 351 | 71 702 | 62 309 |
| Service charges | 133 047 | 125 138 | 65 756 | 113 597 | 133 373 |
| Investment revenue | 1 869 | 2 349 | 1 813 | 586 | 869 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 138 565 | 129 384 | 85 911 | 126 792 | 99 389 |
| Other own revenue | 214 061 | 69 552 | 26 000 | 31 601 | 31 396 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 565 418 | 400 673 | 252 832 | 344 278 | 327 336 |
| Employee costs | 133 573 | 128 804 | 116 210 | 114 535 | 109 791 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 8 014 | 7 909 | 7 245 | 7 232 | 7 154 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 75 997 | 90 064 | 104 309 | 119 868 | 60 375 |
| Finance charges | 20 689 | 8 743 | 16 011 | 5 812 | 6 596 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 110 116 | 96 078 | 86 442 | 88 590 | 77 776 |
| Transfers and subsidies | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 313 998 | 242 990 | 171 042 | 172 785 | 141 273 |
| Total Expenditure | 662 387 | 574 589 | 501 259 | 508 822 | 402 966 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -96 970 | -173 916 | -248 428 | -164 545 | -75 630 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 75 673 | 51 419 | 53 258 | 55 279 | 60 671 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -21 296 | -122 496 | -195 170 | -109 265 | -14 958 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -21 296 | -122 496 | -195 170 | -109 265 | -14 958 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 115 565 | 84 529 | 106 873 | -94 339 | 101 814 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 74 518 | 61 141 | 56 235 | -77 925 | 27 662 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 35 249 | 20 920 | 885 | -14 511 | 21 312 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 109 767 | 82 061 | 57 120 | -92 436 | 48 974 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 350 534 | 237 850 | 88 041 | 268 697 | 251 000 |
| Total non current assets | 1 737 603 | 1 737 205 | 1 768 838 | 1 779 695 | 1 817 854 |
| Total current liabilities | 666 911 | 552 497 | 395 077 | 333 624 | 209 041 |
| Total non current liabilities | 111 567 | 101 800 | 95 444 | 72 083 | 76 059 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 1 292 511 | 1 320 758 | 1 439 304 | 1 642 684 | 1 746 602 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 272 409 | 214 736 | 173 978 | 125 291 | 194 314 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -72 814 | -45 797 | -67 923 | -84 237 | -76 601 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | 131 |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 215 806 | 176 456 | 128 181 | 78 625 | 158 033 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 132 437 | 63 417 | 121 015 | 4 039 | 295 |
| Irregular expenditure | - | 17 937 | 148 450 | 66 478 | 22 344 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 19 587 | 6 995 | 19 184 | 18 144 | - |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 50 165 | 48 149 | 47 216 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 23.3% | 27.4% | 28.0% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 70.0% | 67.8% | 66.2% |
| Population over 65 | 6.7% | 4.8% | 5.8% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 42.8 | 47.4 | 51 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 93.7 | 105.4 | 104.2 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 0.6% | 0.4% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 25.9 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 34.2 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 13.2% | 16.0% | 15.0% |
| Matric | n/a | 32.7 | 28.6 |
| Higher education | 6.2% | 5.1% | 7.2% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 19 613 | 14 633 | 13 721 |
| Average household size | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 36.6 | 35.9 |
| Formal dwellings | 94.9% | 80.4% | 81.8% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 56.6 | 52.7 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 93.0% | 75.2% | 77.7% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 86.7% | 56.3% | 71.7% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 80.1% | 46.7% | 55.0% |
| Electricity for lighting | 94.2% | 83.1% | 83.6% |
Service delivery
National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities
Water
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 16 323 | 16 323 | 14 542 | 16 837 | 16 837 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 14 239 | 14 239 | 13 342 | 15 637 | 15 637 |
| Inside the yard | 12 896 | 12 896 | 12 579 | 14 874 | 14 874 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 1 343 | 1 343 | 763 | 763 | 763 |
| More than 200m from yard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 718 | 3 513 | 3 754 | 3 754 | 3 005 |
Electricity
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 17 835 | 17 835 | 16 094 | 16 094 | 16 059 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 718 | 3 513 | 3 754 | 3 754 | 2 469 |
Sewerage and sanitation
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 15 842 | 14 901 | 12 323 | 15 729 | 15 729 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 11 022 | 10 081 | 9 981 | 13 387 | 13 387 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 1 051 | 1 051 | 379 | 379 | 379 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 87 | 87 | 763 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 763 | 763 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 718 | 3 513 | 3 754 | 3 754 | 3 005 |
Solid waste services
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 12 404 | 12 404 | 12 554 | 12 554 | 12 554 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 718 | 3 513 | 3 754 | 3 754 | 3 005 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 116 210 | 114 535 | 109 791 | 102 585 | 98 661 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 7 245 | 7 232 | 7 154 | 7 171 | 6 463 |
| Total Employee Positions | 449 | 435 | 361 | 361 | 428 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 46 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 67 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 10.2% | 12.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.7% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 17 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Published documents
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