MunicipalitiesSA

Mopani District Municipality

DC33 District Limpopo Governed by n/a

1 372 873 Population Census 2022
20 012 Square kilometres 68.6 per km2
358 153 Households
20 Council seats Coalition governed

Mopani District Municipality is a district municipality in Limpopo, covering 20 012 square kilometres. It coordinates 5 local municipalities: Ba-Phalaborwa, Greater Giyani, Greater Letaba, Greater Tzaneen and Maruleng. It takes in the towns and settlements of Giyani, Gravelotte, Haenertsburg, Hoedspruit, Leydsdorp, Modjadjiskloof and Tzaneen.

Census 2022 counted 1 372 873 residents, making it the 3rd most populous of the 27 municipalities in Limpopo and 12th of 257 nationally. That works out to 68.6 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 358 153 households, averaging 3.8 people each. 33.2% of residents are under 15 and 6.4% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 8.2% hold a higher education qualification and 18.9% have had no schooling.

The council has 20 seats across 3 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 16 seats (80.0%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Pule Josiah Shayi serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Tshepo Jack Mogano 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, Mopani scores 32 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 R1.9 billion in operating revenue against R2.9 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R1.0 billion. At the last census, 27.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.4% used electricity for lighting and 25.6% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 16
  • EFF 3
  • CIVIC WARRIORS 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Pule Josiah Shayi ANC
Speaker Mr TL Davhana ANC
Chief Whip Mr NJ Mukwevho
Municipal Manager Mr Tshepo Jack Mogano
Chief Financial Officer n/a
Mayoral Committee Mr MA Mamedzi MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr MG Chauke MMC: Budget and Treasury
Mayoral Committee Ms NR Mathukha MMC: Community Services
Mayoral Committee S Munyai MMC: Planning and Development
Mayoral Committee Ms SM Sinyosi MMC: Water and Sanitation
Mayoral Committee Ms TJ Bila MMC: Economic Development
Senior Management Ms D Maputla GM: Corporate Services
Senior Management M Mukoma GM: Community Services
Senior Management Mr W Maluleke GM: Technical Services
Communications Mr M Ralushai Manager: Communication
Communications Mr Neil Shikwambana Acting
Communications Mr Odas Ngobeni Deputy Manager: Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges223 984219 753266 263230 877309 534
Investment revenue29 90428 43911 4633 6226 479
Transfers recognised - operational1 431 8441 321 7301 196 6901 065 7431 134 912
Other own revenue176 706127 210116 28081 383232 023
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 862 4371 697 1311 590 6971 381 6251 682 948
Employee costs498 921498 527486 050473 908464 330
Remuneration of councillors18 08516 25616 43712 17523 550
Depreciation and amortisation295 131321 688255 771234 334202 187
Finance charges18 94273 83150 87752 43638 145
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases572 439346 409246 724481 214371 828
Transfers and subsidies-----
Other expenditure1 469 049745 120781 413389 759387 371
Total Expenditure2 872 5652 001 8311 837 2731 643 8261 487 410
Surplus/(Deficit)-1 010 128-304 700-246 576-262 201195 538
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)813 3821 026 347748 333443 293616 639
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)1 749-595203 798
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-194 997721 647501 815181 611815 975
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-194 997721 647501 815181 611815 975

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure625 927906 943638 697469 701958 379
Transfers recognised - capital-224 480786 649555 160397 045821 748
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds850 407120 29478 333124 261125 266
Total sources of capital funds625 927906 943633 493521 306947 013

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets3 798 320452 6192 497 0872 082 9041 805 874
Total non current assets10 116 3009 600 0768 929 5768 551 9286 328 030
Total current liabilities1 761 3891 818 8544 106 7243 674 8482 614 035
Total non current liabilities1 900 841193 4831 229-39 54743 646
Community wealth/Equity10 247 8098 014 0937 318 7117 042 6495 482 664

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating317 2481 299 5351 271 6221 050 6131 637 121
Net cash from (used) investing-760 472-440 590-607 644-551 961-689 882
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-262 485877 422691 528630 2571 203 605

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure336 263422 689588 6581 394 61280 584
Irregular expenditure28 7467 662164 949301 692300 278
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure6 42463 73178 882455 83843 710

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population1 372 8731 159 1851 092 507

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1533.2%31.5%33.8%
Population 15 to 6460.4%63.9%60.5%
Population over 656.4%4.6%5.7%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)65.656.565.3

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females85.987.184.9

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.2%1.4%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a39.4
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a51.4

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling18.9%17.1%21.2%
Matricn/a24.820.7
Higher education8.2%8.1%7.9%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households358 153338 427296 314
Average household size3.83.43.7
Female headed householdsn/a49.250.9
Formal dwellings95.7%90.7%92.2%
Housing ownedn/a71.555.6

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage28.9%14.1%18.2%
Weekly refuse removal25.6%15.6%16.9%
Piped water inside dwelling27.6%12.8%16.8%
Electricity for lighting97.4%94.5%88.7%

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 provided305 952296 320296 320296 320293 601
Number of domestic households/delivery points305 952296 320296 320296 320293 601
Inside the yard162 838153 206153 206153 206153 206
Less than 200m from yard113 850113 850113 850113 850106 622
More than 200m from yard29 26429 26429 26429 26433 773
Domestic households with access to free basic service37 44737 44737 44737 44737 447

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided257 826257 353257 353256 263249 555
Flush toilet - public sewerage57 58957 11657 11657 11657 116
Flush toilet - septic tank8 2058 2058 2057 1157 115
Ventilated pit latrine192 032192 032192 032192 032185 324
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 3595 3595 3595 3895 389

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)486 050473 908464 330426 811389 571
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)16 43712 17523 55033 62413 224
Total Employee Positions386526616111 121
Total Vacant Employee Positions2502455
Total Vacancy Percentage5.3%0.8%0.0%0.3%40.6%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5677777
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5602020
Managerial Positions - by organogram3131313131
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram22000

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans