Nketoana Local Municipality
Nketoana Local Municipality is a local municipality in Free State, covering 5 605 square kilometres. It falls within the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Arlington, Lindley, Petrus Steyn and Reitz.
Census 2022 counted 66 488 residents, making it the 14th most populous of the 23 municipalities in Free State and 205th of 257 nationally. That works out to 11.9 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 19 738 households, averaging 3.4 people each. 26.9% of residents are under 15 and 7.4% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.8% hold a higher education qualification and 11.7% have had no schooling.
The council has 18 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 10 seats (55.6%). ANC governs the municipality. n/a serves as executive mayor, and Mr SM Nhlapo 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, Nketoana scores 9.3 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 R576.2 million in operating revenue against R728.9 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R152.7 million. At the last census, 37.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 90.6% used electricity for lighting and 59.4% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 10 55.6%
- DA 3 16.7%
- EFF 2 11.1%
- VF PLUS 2 11.1%
- AULA 1 5.6%
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 | 18 836 | 18 332 | 17 217 | 16 191 | 15 573 |
| Service charges | 269 504 | 274 990 | 211 196 | 183 721 | 166 030 |
| Investment revenue | 1 286 | 932 | 611 | 370 | 372 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 144 562 | 146 846 | 125 026 | 112 681 | 122 370 |
| Other own revenue | 141 980 | 204 764 | 158 964 | 100 397 | 79 432 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 576 168 | 645 864 | 513 015 | 413 361 | 383 778 |
| Employee costs | 191 672 | 186 772 | 151 020 | 131 335 | 118 530 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 7 556 | 11 638 | 5 618 | 5 652 | 5 356 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 57 967 | 86 710 | 126 089 | 80 838 | 55 283 |
| Finance charges | 38 605 | 39 795 | 52 199 | 57 673 | 14 266 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 118 946 | 114 496 | 95 963 | 87 425 | 86 363 |
| Transfers and subsidies | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 314 152 | 538 211 | 315 324 | 295 904 | 214 123 |
| Total Expenditure | 728 898 | 977 621 | 746 213 | 658 829 | 493 920 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -152 730 | -331 757 | -233 198 | -245 468 | -110 143 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 105 560 | 77 251 | 63 366 | 34 275 | 36 408 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -47 170 | -254 506 | -169 832 | -211 193 | -73 735 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -47 170 | -254 506 | -169 832 | -211 193 | -73 735 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 109 044 | 117 829 | 81 631 | 41 195 | 39 089 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 111 585 | 81 854 | 74 046 | 32 764 | 38 987 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | -2 569 | 1 648 | 6 054 | - | - |
| Total sources of capital funds | 109 016 | 83 502 | 80 100 | 32 764 | 38 987 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 590 868 | 635 564 | 28 262 | -49 891 | -52 143 |
| Total non current assets | 1 366 130 | 1 316 040 | 1 186 862 | 1 220 968 | 1 295 307 |
| Total current liabilities | 1 388 002 | 1 228 257 | 996 877 | 792 043 | 658 840 |
| Total non current liabilities | 82 820 | 68 839 | 74 165 | 63 169 | 63 830 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 486 176 | 654 490 | 144 083 | 315 864 | 532 981 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 171 323 | 276 313 | 125 589 | 96 056 | 256 850 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -118 259 | -79 462 | -53 329 | -36 894 | -48 823 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | 165 |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 61 707 | 198 755 | 66 803 | 62 153 | -193 883 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 81 821 | 471 631 | 170 127 | 1 054 335 | n/a |
| Irregular expenditure | 118 098 | 69 057 | 53 047 | 43 276 | n/a |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 34 079 | 37 593 | 47 655 | 149 265 | n/a |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 66 488 | 64 893 | 60 324 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 26.9% | 30.1% | 32.3% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 65.6% | 64.4% | 61.9% |
| Population over 65 | 7.4% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 52.3 | 55.3 | 61.6 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 88.7 | 92.3 | 90.2 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 0.9% | 1.7% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 30.4 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 41.6 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 11.7% | 8.5% | 12.7% |
| Matric | n/a | 29.2 | 20.4 |
| Higher education | 6.8% | 6.5% | 6.5% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 19 738 | 19 664 | 17 318 |
| Average household size | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 42.1 | 40.7 |
| Formal dwellings | 84.0% | 80.5% | 73.5% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 67.4 | 57.5 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 76.7% | 78.1% | 64.6% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 59.4% | 81.7% | 72.2% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 37.1% | 20.0% | 28.2% |
| Electricity for lighting | 90.6% | 90.0% | 84.7% |
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 | 20 321 | 20 318 | 19 483 | 20 617 | 20 567 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 20 091 | 20 088 | 19 253 | 20 389 | 20 339 |
| Inside the yard | 17 811 | 17 808 | 17 808 | 18 975 | 18 925 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 1 460 | 1 460 | 1 445 | 1 414 | 1 414 |
| More than 200m from yard | 820 | 820 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 4 621 | 5 621 | 5 157 | 5 173 | 5 008 |
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 | 18 228 | 18 173 | 18 173 | 17 866 | 17 866 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 4 007 | 5 426 | 5 001 | 5 173 | 3 873 |
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 | 21 435 | 21 435 | 21 433 | 20 706 | 20 656 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 17 351 | 17 351 | 17 351 | 17 351 | 17 301 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 150 | 150 | 150 | 89 | 89 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 960 | 960 | 960 | 960 | 960 |
| Bucket system | 2 744 | 2 744 | 2 744 | 2 078 | 2 078 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 4 835 | 5 901 | 5 413 | 5 173 | 5 326 |
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 | 17 866 | 17 866 | 17 866 | 17 866 | 17 866 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 4 815 | 5 872 | 5 392 | 5 173 | 5 307 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 151 020 | 131 335 | 118 530 | 126 327 | 123 193 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 5 618 | 5 652 | 5 356 | 5 276 | 3 |
| Total Employee Positions | 526 | 483 | 483 | 499 | 801 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 216 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 27.0% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 16 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury