MunicipalitiesSA

Koukamma Local Municipality

EC109 Local Eastern Cape Governed by ANC

36 487 Population Census 2022
3 642 Square kilometres 10.0 per km2
9 593 Households
12 Council seats

Koukamma Local Municipality is a local municipality in Eastern Cape, covering 3 642 square kilometres. It falls within the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. It takes in 10 recognised towns and settlements, among them Clarkson, Joubertina, Kareedouw, Krakeel River, Louterwater, Misgund, Nompumelelo, Sanddrif.

Census 2022 counted 36 487 residents, making it the 38th most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 234th of 257 nationally. That works out to 10.0 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 9 593 households, averaging 3.8 people each. 27.0% of residents are under 15 and 5.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 4.8% hold a higher education qualification and 3.3% have had no schooling.

The council has 12 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 4 seats (33.3%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Sam Vuso serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Adv Mlamli Zenzile is acting 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, Kou-Kamma scores 26 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 R199.1 million in operating revenue against R236.6 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R37.4 million. At the last census, 84.2% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.7% used electricity for lighting and 84.8% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 4
  • DA 3
  • PA 3
  • INDEPENDENT 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Sam Vuso ANC
Speaker Mr Dadley Maasdorp
Chief Whip Ms Nomathamsanqa Sikiwe
Municipal Manager Adv Mlamli Zenzile Acting
Chief Financial Officer Ms Michelle Kerr
Mayoral Committee Mr Baker Smit
Mayoral Committee Mr Brendon Tirone Jantjies
Mayoral Committee Mr Channon May
Mayoral Committee Mr James Richard Krige
Mayoral Committee Mr Pieter Meyer
Mayoral Committee Ms Sharon Ferguson
Mayoral Committee Mr Thembalethu Williams
Mayoral Committee Mr Vuyani Enoch Persent
Senior Management Mr Lucas Somtseu Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Mziwamadoda Qalaba Director: Technical and Community Services
Communications Ms Nomava Siqoko

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditAdverse auditQualified auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates32 96632 53825 57018 03317 816
Service charges54 30351 87732 86132 12033 170
Investment revenue699475424159290
Transfers recognised - operational78 35064 20267 40360 56171 916
Other own revenue32 82243 91045 79469 27824 326
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)199 139193 002172 054180 151147 518
Employee costs93 59879 59962 41159 01658 684
Remuneration of councillors5 4156 1834 7774 1093 733
Depreciation and amortisation25 39624 30521 67922 74022 130
Finance charges8446835634221 191
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases8 19711 21811 09611 7718 742
Transfers and subsidies-----
Other expenditure103 117164 24698 70292 11881 491
Total Expenditure236 567286 233199 228190 174175 971
Surplus/(Deficit)-37 427-93 231-27 175-10 023-28 453
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)27 43832 12334 89457 74022 729
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)----1 178
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-9 990-61 1087 72047 717-4 545
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-9 990-61 1087 72047 717-4 545

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure24 60735 54235 58844 69129 783
Transfers recognised - capital24 18035 22332 98214 30919 816
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds4273192 0261 0512 289
Total sources of capital funds24 60735 54235 00815 36022 105

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets116 86121 53774 99972 16845 088
Total non current assets422 084397 723386 536375 466347 552
Total current liabilities103 30570 67431 56423 80319 423
Total non current liabilities12 75213 40216 22715 95417 346
Community wealth/Equity432 878396 292406 024360 160360 416

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating80 013-5 2085 01748 44150 685
Net cash from (used) investing-----
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end10 513-83 640-74 072-36 872-942

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure29 4386 10545 65938 23910 703
Irregular expenditure23 24911 19039 67857 4001 174
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure850944375450-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population36 48743 68840 663

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1527.0%33.0%29.7%
Population 15 to 6467.1%63.0%65.7%
Population over 655.9%4.0%4.5%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)4958.852.1

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females94.2101100.7

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum-1.1%1.6%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a15
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a17.5

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling3.3%2.2%5.3%
Matricn/a22.417.6
Higher education4.8%6.0%3.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households9 59311 58311 032
Average household size3.83.83.7
Female headed householdsn/a33.931.2
Formal dwellings94.1%93.4%90.6%
Housing ownedn/a52.746.8

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage91.5%81.6%75.4%
Weekly refuse removal84.8%79.0%64.2%
Piped water inside dwelling84.2%77.9%68.2%
Electricity for lighting97.7%94.5%87.1%

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 provided13 78311 29111 28911 16111 029
Number of domestic households/delivery points13 65511 16311 16111 03310 901
Inside the yard12 68210 38810 38810 26010 260
Less than 200m from yard835637637637505
More than 200m from yard138138136136136
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2582 4642 4642 4642 468

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided12 42812 42812 38612 38612 364
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 3632 4642 4642 4642 686

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided10 95610 68710 68710 68710 624
Flush toilet - public sewerage9 1668 8278 8278 8278 827
Flush toilet - septic tank813977977977914
Ventilated pit latrine849755755755755
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2582 4642 4642 4642 468

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided11 26111 26111 26111 2619 825
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2582 4642 4642 4642 468

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)62 41159 01658 68452 58048 446
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)4 7774 1093 7333 8173 715
Total Employee Positions341189172167227
Total Vacant Employee Positions167182186
Total Vacancy Percentage49.0%9.5%1.2%0.6%37.9%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5644444
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5610011
Managerial Positions - by organogram141412119
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram24203

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans