Mandeni Local Municipality - MunicipalitiesSA

Mandeni Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 555 square kilometres. It falls within the iLembe District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Isithebe and Mandeni.

Census 2022 counted 180 939 residents, making it the 29th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 120th of 257 nationally. That works out to 326.0 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 40 436 households, averaging 4.5 people each. 30.5% of residents are under 15 and 4.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.2% hold a higher education qualification and 8.4% have had no schooling.

The council has 34 seats across 6 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 17 seats (50.0%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Thabani Mdlalose serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Sizwe Goodman Khuzwayo 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, Mandeni scores 59.9 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of C, described as fair. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R430.8 million in operating revenue against R474.5 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R43.7 million. At the last census, 40.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 98.2% used electricity for lighting and 40.9% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

ANC 17 50.0%
IFP 10 29.4%
EFF 4 11.8%
AIC 1 2.9%
DA 1 2.9%
MK 1 2.9%

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Thabani Mdlalose ANC

Deputy Mayor Bhekithemba Magwaza ANC

Speaker Ms Phindile Sishi ANC

Chief Whip n/a

Municipal Manager Mr Sizwe Goodman Khuzwayo

Chief Financial Officer Ms Nompumelelo Guzana

Mayoral Committee Ms Melody Mdunge Chairperson: Local Public Administration and Human Relations Portfolio Committee

Mayoral Committee Mlungisi Shelembe

Mayoral Committee Ntombizodwa Ntuli Corporate Services

Senior Management Mrs Bongani Sithole Director: Community Services and Public Safety

Senior Management Mr Dumsani Mbongwa Director: Economic Development, Planning and Human Settlements

Senior Management Mr Richard Dlamini Director: Technical Services

Senior Management Mr Vusi Zulu Director: Corporate Services

Communications Mr Mduduzi Manzi

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
AUDIT OUTCOME	Financially unqualified	Financially unqualified	Financially unqualified	Financially unqualified	Financially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
Property rates	63 942	58 321	50 660	98 534	50 870
Service charges	77 826	73 544	61 440	56 776	43 822
Investment revenue	19 863	26 748	20 010	10 694	6 454
Transfers recognised - operational	253 010	241 981	223 107	220 162	210 180
Other own revenue	16 156	21 787	46 342	12 332	22 605
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)	430 797	422 381	401 560	398 499	333 931
Employee costs	160 030	133 709	116 754	107 713	109 315
Remuneration of councillors	15 151	14 955	14 325	13 798	13 528
Depreciation and amortisation	46 319	33 728	32 437	35 256	31 848
Finance charges	0	137	325	58	332
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases	64 650	56 309	49 664	37 998	30 955
Transfers and subsidies	2 450	-	-	-	1 557
Other expenditure	185 882	159 559	127 029	112 909	114 350
Total Expenditure	474 482	398 397	340 534	307 732	301 885
Surplus/(Deficit)	-43 684	23 983	61 026	90 766	32 046
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)	47 668	55 093	45 387	43 949	41 465
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)	-	-	-	1 150	-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions	3 984	79 077	106 413	135 865	73 511
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate	-	-	-	-	-
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year	3 984	79 077	106 413	135 865	73 511

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
Capital expenditure	126 192	535 861	396 199	302 868	272 457
Transfers recognised - capital	42 242	232 469	180 680	169 578	162 290
Borrowing	-	3 881	3 881	3 881	3 881
Internally generated funds	83 950	299 511	211 638	129 410	106 139
Total sources of capital funds	126 192	535 861	396 199	302 868	272 310

Financial position

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
Total current assets	255 323	329 657	354 670	293 710	218 118
Total non current assets	793 896	713 576	602 748	527 428	540 732
Total current liabilities	86 164	81 544	78 293	49 822	69 061
Total non current liabilities	22 198	21 070	17 730	17 537	18 697
Community wealth/Equity	936 874	861 542	754 982	617 914	597 581

Cash flows

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
Net cash from (used) operating	71 283	1 479 222	1 124 070	721 273	784 436
Net cash from (used) investing	-	-	-	-	-
Net cash from (used) financing	217	320	176	-	-
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end	301 688	1 347 529	1 207 234	861 273	814 436

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
Unauthorised expenditure	31 310	8 672	6 243	-	-
Irregular expenditure	5 798	6 260	14 303	14 857	10 342
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure	0	137	325	614	167

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Population	180 939	147 808	138 141

Age structure

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Population under 15	30.5%	32.0%	33.5%
Population 15 to 64	64.7%	63.5%	62.6%
Population over 65	4.8%	4.6%	3.9%

Dependency ratio

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Per 100 (15-64)	54.5	57.6	59.7

Sex ratio

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Males per 100 females	90.4	90.6	89.8

Population growth

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Per annum	2.6%	1.6%	n/a

Labour market

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Unemployment rate (official)	n/a	n/a	28.6
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34	n/a	n/a	34.6

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure	2022	2016	2011
No schooling	8.4%	5.9%	10.2%
Matric	n/a	33.4	30.6
Higher education	7.2%	5.8%	4.7%

Household dynamics

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Households	40 436	45 678	38 269
Average household size	4.5	3.2	3.6
Female headed households	n/a	51.1	48.6
Formal dwellings	92.3%	84.3%	58.7%
Housing owned	n/a	68	52.9

Household services

Measure	2022	2016	2011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage	43.4%	21.9%	29.6%
Weekly refuse removal	40.9%	24.3%	27.5%
Piped water inside dwelling	40.1%	16.1%	25.8%
Electricity for lighting	98.2%	90.6%	82.5%

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?	No	No	No	No	No
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided	0	0	0	0	0
Number of domestic households/delivery points	0	0	0	0	0
Inside the yard	0	0	0	0	0
Less than 200m from yard	0	0	0	0	0
More than 200m from yard	0	0	0	0	0
Domestic households with access to free basic service	0	0	0	0	0

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	27 082	27 082	26 682	25 811	25 094
Domestic households with access to free basic service	63	1 616	1 616	25	1 086

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21	2019/20	2018/19
Does the municipality provide?	No	No	No	No	No
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided	0	0	0	0	0
Flush toilet - public sewerage	0	0	0	0	0
Flush toilet - septic tank	0	0	0	0	0
Ventilated pit latrine	0	0	0	0	0
Bucket system	0	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0	0
Domestic households with access to free basic service	0	0	0	0	0

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	14 270	9 236	9 236	9 236	9 236
Domestic households with access to free basic service	72	1 813	288	400	6 000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21	2019/20	2018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)	116 754	107 713	109 315	99 700	84 280
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)	14 325	13 798	13 528	13 249	13 023
Total Employee Positions	355	312	281	266	268
Total Vacant Employee Positions	47	26	4	0	14
Total Vacancy Percentage	13.2%	8.3%	1.4%	0.0%	5.2%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S56	6	6	6	6	6
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56	0	1	0	0	1
Managerial Positions - by organogram	15	15	15	11	21
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram	0	0	4	0	1

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans

C Fair Financial health 59.9 of 100, 2024/25

Audit outcome Financially unqualified

The financial statements are reliable, but the Auditor-General raised findings on performance reporting or compliance.

Operating margin -10.1%

The municipality spent more than it collected on day-to-day operations, running an operating deficit.

Current ratio 2.96:1

Short-term assets cover short-term obligations.

Cash coverage 7.6 months

Cash on hand could fund operations for this long without any new income.

Irregular spending 7.82%

Share of total spending the Auditor-General flagged as unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful.

Location

Within KwaZulu-Natal

Contact

Telephone: 032 456 8200
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mandeni.gov.za
Address: 2 Kingfisher Road, Mandeni
Postal: PO Box 144, Mandeni, 4490