Masilonyana Local Municipality
Masilonyana Local Municipality is a local municipality in Free State, covering 6 618 square kilometres. It falls within the Lejweleputswa District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Soutpan, Theunissen, Verkeerdevlei, Winburg and Winnie Mandela (Brandfort).
Census 2022 counted 63 800 residents, making it the 15th most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 210th of 257 nationally. That works out to 9.6 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 17 853 households, averaging 3.6 people each. 27.1% of residents are under 15 and 7.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.9% hold a higher education qualification and 5.1% have had no schooling.
The council has 19 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 11 seats (57.9%). ANC governs the municipality. Ms Dimakatso Elizabeth Modise serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Mojalefa Matlole 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, Masilonyana scores 7.6 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “disclaimer of audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R483.5 million in operating revenue against R596.5 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R113.0 million. At the last census, 39.8% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.3% used electricity for lighting and 79.2% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 11 57.9%
- DA 4 21.1%
- EFF 2 10.5%
- F4SD 1 5.3%
- VF PLUS 1 5.3%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 107 606 | 100 601 | 63 792 | 61 327 | 70 135 |
| Service charges | 141 223 | 110 759 | 37 604 | 112 385 | 91 770 |
| Investment revenue | 2 370 | 179 | 0 | - | 0 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 198 761 | 208 141 | 42 541 | - | 45 164 |
| Other own revenue | 33 491 | 90 333 | 870 | 840 | 4 081 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 483 451 | 510 013 | 144 808 | 174 552 | 211 150 |
| Employee costs | 141 984 | 119 530 | - | 120 | - |
| Remuneration of councillors | 8 406 | 8 734 | - | - | - |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 28 757 | 78 529 | - | 6 | - |
| Finance charges | 28 376 | 33 109 | 2 986 | 1 451 | - |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 66 203 | 80 936 | 36 856 | 47 149 | 4 850 |
| Transfers and subsidies | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 322 731 | 77 916 | 28 415 | 38 320 | 4 269 |
| Total Expenditure | 596 457 | 398 754 | 68 258 | 87 045 | 9 119 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -113 006 | 111 259 | 76 550 | 87 506 | 202 032 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 6 878 | 28 293 | - | - | - |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -106 128 | 139 553 | 76 550 | 87 506 | 202 032 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -106 128 | 139 553 | 76 550 | 87 506 | 202 032 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 1 678 808 | 1 637 498 | 1 359 958 | 1 357 067 | 773 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 82 343 | 18 630 | 1 182 316 | 1 179 464 | 943 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 1 594 388 | 1 618 909 | 164 893 | 164 853 | -170 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 1 676 732 | 1 637 539 | 1 347 208 | 1 344 317 | 773 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 106 966 | 1 398 190 | 783 468 | 801 616 | 194 333 |
| Total non current assets | 1 149 774 | 1 107 185 | 696 418 | 693 527 | 943 |
| Total current liabilities | 798 652 | 1 207 030 | 601 774 | 693 627 | -6 775 |
| Total non current liabilities | 11 251 | 45 749 | - | - | - |
| Community wealth/Equity | 552 965 | 1 113 044 | 725 011 | 626 503 | 19 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 65 286 | -51 548 | 5 658 | 2 285 | - |
| Net cash from (used) investing | - | (3 856) | (86) | (86) | - |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | (82) |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 62 657 | -52 774 | 5 572 | 2 199 | -82 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 48 671 | - | - | 1 122 588 | n/a |
| Irregular expenditure | 47 438 | 11 930 | 867 857 | - | n/a |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 15 661 | 22 301 | 60 | 17 276 | n/a |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63 800 | 62 770 | 59 895 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 27.1% | 28.0% | 29.7% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 65.1% | 66.7% | 64.5% |
| Population over 65 | 7.8% | 5.4% | 5.8% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 53.7 | 50 | 55 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 92.5 | 103.7 | 102 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 0.6% | 1.1% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 5.1% | 4.4% | 8.5% |
| Matric | n/a | 25.9 | 21.1 |
| Higher education | 5.9% | 6.0% | 4.4% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 17 853 | 21 558 | 16 476 |
| Average household size | 3.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 39.6 | 43.1 |
| Formal dwellings | 91.0% | 84.0% | 82.6% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 68.3 | 64.8 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 90.5% | 84.4% | 75.0% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 79.2% | 65.0% | 52.9% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 39.8% | 26.5% | 29.3% |
| Electricity for lighting | 93.3% | 92.5% | 93.2% |
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 | 22 004 | 21 524 | 21 524 | 21 046 | 19 024 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 20 431 | 19 951 | 19 951 | 19 951 | 17 929 |
| Inside the yard | 18 051 | 18 051 | 18 051 | 18 051 | 17 929 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 1 900 | 1 420 | 1 420 | 1 420 | 0 |
| More than 200m from yard | 480 | 480 | 480 | 480 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 800 | 3 234 | 2 955 | 2 298 | 2 234 |
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 | 19 584 | 17 746 | 17 746 | 17 746 | 17 746 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 800 | 169 | 166 | 104 | 104 |
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 | 19 418 | 18 626 | 18 626 | 18 626 | 17 954 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 16 162 | 15 430 | 15 430 | 15 430 | 15 430 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 572 | 572 | 572 | 572 | 572 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucket system | 1 529 | 1 529 | 1 529 | 1 529 | 857 |
| Other | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 800 | 2 902 | 2 812 | 2 298 | 2 234 |
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 | 18 871 | 18 871 | 18 871 | 18 871 | 17 989 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 3 800 | 2 900 | 2 816 | 2 298 | 2 234 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | - | 120 | - | 105 | 7 669 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Total Employee Positions | 394 | 378 | 347 | 731 | 660 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 36 | 43 | 10 | 389 | 193 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 9.1% | 11.4% | 2.9% | 53.2% | 29.2% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 30 | 32 | 35 | 35 | 31 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 4 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury