MunicipalitiesSA

Letsemeng Local Municipality

FS161 Local Free State Governed by ANC

43 101 Population Census 2022
9 826 Square kilometres 4.4 per km2
10 940 Households
13 Council seats

Letsemeng Local Municipality is a local municipality in Free State, covering 9 826 square kilometres. It falls within the Xhariep District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein, Luckhoff, Oppermansgronde and Petrusburg.

Census 2022 counted 43 101 residents, making it the 21st most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 229th of 257 nationally. That works out to 4.4 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 10 940 households, averaging 3.9 people each. 28.5% of residents are under 15 and 6.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.1% hold a higher education qualification and 10.8% have had no schooling.

The council has 13 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 9 seats (69.2%). ANC governs the municipality. Bonolo Mocwaledi serves as executive mayor, and ST Maneli 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, Letsemeng scores 30.1 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 R255.4 million in operating revenue against R368.0 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R112.5 million. At the last census, 53.2% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 89.9% used electricity for lighting and 68.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 9
  • DA 2
  • EFF 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Mayor Bonolo Mocwaledi
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Hani Xolani Mthukwane ANC
Chief Whip Abram Lebaka
Municipal Manager ST Maneli Acting
Chief Financial Officer Mr Lucky Motsamai
Mayoral Committee Daleen Terblanche
Mayoral Committee Itumeleng Ramohlabi Chairperson: Finance and Technical Committee
Mayoral Committee Jessie Kumalo Chairperson: MPAC
Mayoral Committee Kgomotso Molusi
Mayoral Committee Mariska Potgieter
Mayoral Committee Mbuyiselo Lehare
Mayoral Committee Nikiwe November
Mayoral Committee Semakaleng Lichaba
Mayoral Committee Vuyani Stuurman
Senior Management Mr Kelehile Joseph Motlhale Acting Director: Community Services
Senior Management Ms Motlanalo Patricia Morokolo Acting Director: Technical Services
Senior Management Mr Siphiwe Phithi Manager: LED
Communications n/a

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates28 14626 33425 10125 82624 197
Service charges69 83960 74859 39260 35045 364
Investment revenue-9110216441
Transfers recognised - operational114 794109 88091 13888 909103 559
Other own revenue42 64050 46236 98918 10322 810
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)255 419247 513212 723193 352195 971
Employee costs75 21883 43373 69769 76259 851
Remuneration of councillors4 6725 5635 3694 7644 217
Depreciation and amortisation39 74129 24444 694-4415 841
Finance charges49 31822 27816 41711 0087 872
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases80 72251 907-443 47447 21844 059
Transfers and subsidies--3 500--
Other expenditure118 28294 33048 549117 40599 035
Total Expenditure367 952286 754-251 248250 112230 876
Surplus/(Deficit)-112 533-39 241463 971-56 760-34 904
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)8 55711 63236 24921 76733 988
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-103 976-27 609500 220-34 994-916
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-103 976-27 609500 220-34 994-916

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure265 0571 469 1051 481 2031 452 3061 502 836
Transfers recognised - capital69 724201 349185 144149 007129 793
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds195 3341 267 7561 296 0591 303 2991 373 043
Total sources of capital funds265 0571 469 1051 481 2031 452 3061 502 836

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets169 518358 264301 823208 543171 610
Total non current assets1 067 408739 287754 991752 309769 781
Total current liabilities545 016438 103373 246302 898236 902
Total non current liabilities80 8447 3897 1017 6077 216
Community wealth/Equity715 042679 668176 247685 340698 188

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating232 594232 51351 71115 554-5 321
Net cash from (used) investing-----
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end232 593232 51251 71115 554-5 321

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure196 385127 263224 025901 155177 059
Irregular expenditure7 16741 02982 213-164 094
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure38 73124 34714 13230 1498 785

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population43 10140 04438 628

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1528.5%24.9%29.7%
Population 15 to 6464.7%69.1%64.8%
Population over 656.8%6.1%5.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)54.644.754.2

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females95.5111.8105.7

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.1%0.8%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a22.3
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a27.7

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling10.8%12.0%17.7%
Matricn/a27.518.7
Higher education5.1%4.5%4.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households10 94013 96911 242
Average household size3.92.93.4
Female headed householdsn/a31.533.5
Formal dwellings84.8%85.1%83.2%
Housing ownedn/a72.254

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage82.5%69.5%75.5%
Weekly refuse removal68.0%58.3%68.0%
Piped water inside dwelling53.2%46.3%49.8%
Electricity for lighting89.9%95.8%92.8%

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 28613 0439 4549 4549 734
Number of domestic households/delivery points12 95612 7139 2429 2429 522
Inside the yard10 21110 2118 7498 7499 029
Less than 200m from yard2 5022 502493493493
More than 200m from yard2430000
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 7162 7161 4361 7102 290

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided16 98315 97215 9729 9889 988
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 7162 7161 4361 7102 290

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided13 28311 96410 1439 8318 971
Flush toilet - public sewerage10 2117 7967 7967 7967 796
Flush toilet - septic tank2471 1961 196250250
Ventilated pit latrine2 1592 306470470470
Bucket system3363365621 196336
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 7162 7161 4361 7102 290

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided8 3968 3968 3698 3698 369
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 7162 7161 4361 7102 290

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)73 69769 76259 85154 34953 711
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)5 3694 7644 2174 2003 991
Total Employee Positions340309269264215
Total Vacant Employee Positions3100724
Total Vacancy Percentage9.1%0.0%0.0%2.7%11.2%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655565
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600011
Managerial Positions - by organogram1414111113
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00068

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans