Emalahleni Local Municipality
434 238
Population
Census 2022
2 678
Square kilometres
162.2 per km2
164 573
Households
68
Council seats
Emalahleni Local Municipality is a local municipality in Mpumalanga, covering 2 678 square kilometres. It falls within the Nkangala District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Kriel, Ogies, Phola and eMalahleni.
Census 2022 counted 434 238 residents, making it the 7th most populous of the 20 municipalities in Mpumalanga and 62nd of 257 nationally. That works out to 162.2 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 164 573 households, averaging 2.6 people each. 25.4% of residents are under 15 and 4.3% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 9.7% hold a higher education qualification and 5.1% have had no schooling.
The council has 68 seats across 6 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 34 seats (50.0%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Vusi Julius Nhlapho serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Humphrey Sizwe Mayisela 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, Emalahleni (MP) scores 28.8 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R5.1 billion in operating revenue against R7.0 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R1.9 billion. At the last census, 66.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 84.1% used electricity for lighting and 68.1% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 34 50.0%
- DA 14 20.6%
- EFF 14 20.6%
- VF PLUS 4 5.9%
- ACDP 1 1.5%
- AIC 1 1.5%
Office bearers
Executive Mayor
Mr Vusi Julius Nhlapho
ANC
Deputy Mayor
n/a
Speaker
Ms Millicent Shabangu
ANC
Chief Whip
Mr Given Koko
Municipal Manager
Mr Humphrey Sizwe Mayisela
Chief Financial Officer
Mr KS Mahlangu
Mayoral Committee
Ms Betty Maphosa
MMC: Environmental and Waste Management
Mayoral Committee
Cecilia Maraba
Chairperson: Municipal Public Accounts Committee
Mayoral Committee
Faith Msibi
MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee
Hessie Mseko
MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee
Ms Nombuso Mokwana
MMC: Development Planning
Mayoral Committee
Mr Sizwe Buthelezi
MMC: Community Services
Mayoral Committee
Mr Thabang Mathebula
MMC: Technical Services
Senior Management
Mr C Brentjies
Acting Executive Director: Technical Services
Senior Management
Mr L Africa
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Senior Management
Mr M Mngomezulu
Deputy Director: Strategic and Executive Support
Senior Management
Ms N Makua
Executive Director: Environmental and Waste Management
Senior Management
Ms Nomawabo Mtshabe
Manager: IDP
Senior Management
Mr Rudolph Themba Nkosi
Assistant Manager: Youth Development
Senior Management
Mr Selati Matlejoane
Executive Director: Community Services
Senior Management
Mr T Buthelezi
Acting Executive Director: Development Planning
Senior Management
Mr Tefo Kadi
Manager: LED
Communications
Mr Lebohang Mofokeng
Assistant Manager: Communication
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 1 342 179 | 766 812 | 700 378 | 683 480 | 648 002 |
| Service charges | 2 389 035 | 2 145 200 | 1 701 653 | 1 703 314 | 1 622 658 |
| Investment revenue | 2 406 | 8 597 | 4 634 | 2 826 | 3 690 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 711 063 | 537 420 | 504 718 | 483 651 | 419 676 |
| Other own revenue | 606 827 | 1 230 614 | 803 125 | 670 369 | 592 294 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 5 051 510 | 4 688 642 | 3 714 507 | 3 543 639 | 3 286 319 |
| Employee costs | 1 113 869 | 1 073 446 | 1 055 030 | 1 041 166 | 980 777 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 34 684 | 34 194 | 32 694 | 29 546 | 30 423 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 297 028 | 327 718 | 277 534 | 277 349 | 280 691 |
| Finance charges | 272 003 | 415 029 | 535 479 | 276 342 | 144 952 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 2 269 340 | 1 953 153 | 1 674 724 | 1 711 185 | 1 403 577 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 22 340 | 8 925 | 8 825 | 24 152 | 31 115 |
| Other expenditure | 2 947 908 | 2 282 459 | 2 026 827 | 1 583 510 | 1 668 304 |
| Total Expenditure | 6 957 171 | 6 094 924 | 5 611 112 | 4 943 249 | 4 539 839 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -1 905 661 | -1 406 282 | -1 896 605 | -1 399 609 | -1 253 520 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 190 631 | 207 833 | 211 775 | 173 079 | 194 668 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | 87 136 | 37 795 | 49 025 | 14 334 | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -1 627 893 | -1 160 655 | -1 635 805 | -1 212 197 | -1 058 852 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -1 627 893 | -1 160 655 | -1 635 805 | -1 212 197 | -1 058 852 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 174 081 | 323 567 | 304 259 | 87 327 | 221 355 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 90 987 | 295 122 | 167 386 | 44 237 | 106 181 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 27 260 | 28 143 | 75 034 | 38 292 | 115 173 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 118 248 | 323 265 | 242 421 | 82 528 | 221 355 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 2 859 378 | 2 448 965 | 2 262 030 | 2 318 944 | 1 921 539 |
| Total non current assets | 6 832 962 | 6 735 367 | 6 607 778 | 6 512 551 | 6 513 283 |
| Total current liabilities | 13 813 577 | 11 700 801 | 10 220 921 | 8 775 855 | 7 271 799 |
| Total non current liabilities | -9 481 | -15 970 | -15 205 | 1 524 | 9 965 |
| Community wealth/Equity | -4 111 756 | -2 483 863 | -1 338 695 | 204 629 | 1 460 564 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 715 582 | 388 348 | 509 048 | 575 115 | -2 270 250 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -164 895 | -214 946 | -199 250 | -190 889 | -151 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 595 958 | 211 823 | 319 562 | 424 147 | -2 219 228 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 1 801 403 | 1 036 584 | 921 200 | 909 860 | 444 726 |
| Irregular expenditure | 92 241 | 1 647 400 | 154 223 | 187 795 | 198 888 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 271 345 | 383 958 | 534 088 | 273 785 | - |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 434 238 | 455 228 | 395 466 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 25.4% | 24.5% | 25.2% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 70.3% | 72.5% | 71.2% |
| Population over 65 | 4.3% | 3.0% | 3.6% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 42.3 | 37.9 | 40.4 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 103 | 112.3 | 111.8 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 0.9% | 3.2% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 27.3 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 36 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.8% |
| Matric | n/a | 37.7 | 31.4 |
| Higher education | 9.7% | 10.4% | 12.5% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 164 573 | 150 420 | 119 873 |
| Average household size | 2.6 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 29.1 | 27.9 |
| Formal dwellings | 88.0% | 74.4% | 77.2% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 50.3 | 45.3 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 78.5% | 69.5% | 70.8% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 68.1% | 64.6% | 67.2% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 66.3% | 56.0% | 54.9% |
| Electricity for lighting | 84.1% | 71.7% | 73.4% |
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 | 157 986 | 150 420 | 148 097 | 148 097 | 144 832 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 0 | 0 | 146 232 | 146 232 | 142 967 |
| Inside the yard | 0 | 0 | 118 682 | 135 465 | 132 200 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 0 | 0 | 10 074 | 10 074 | 10 074 |
| More than 200m from yard | 0 | 0 | 17 476 | 693 | 693 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 5 600 | 5 655 | 8 897 | 8 897 | 10 522 |
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 | 94 188 | 93 868 | 93 868 | 93 868 | 93 699 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 5 600 | 5 655 | 8 897 | 8 897 | 10 522 |
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 | 157 986 | 142 571 | 112 858 | 112 858 | 93 277 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 108 421 | 103 552 | 103 552 | 103 552 | 83 479 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 766 | 766 | 766 | 2 398 | 2 390 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 13 181 | 2 635 | 5 432 | 5 432 | 5 553 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 32 832 | 32 832 | 1 632 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 5 600 | 5 655 | 8 897 | 8 897 | 10 522 |
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 | 106 575 | 106 575 | 106 575 | 106 575 | 106 575 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 5 600 | 5 655 | 8 897 | 8 897 | 10 522 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 1 055 030 | 1 041 166 | 980 777 | 905 077 | 897 995 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 32 694 | 29 546 | 30 423 | 24 057 | 29 926 |
| Total Employee Positions | 1 686 | 1 555 | 1 397 | 1 817 | 1 666 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 253 | 222 | 12 | 162 | 160 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 15.0% | 14.3% | 0.9% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 12 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 92 | 92 | 86 | 92 | 8 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 18 | 17 | 8 | 17 | 2 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury