MunicipalitiesSA

Nquthu Local Municipality

KZN242 Local KwaZulu-Natal Governed by IFP

201 133 Population Census 2022
1 962 Square kilometres 102.5 per km2
33 617 Households
37 Council seats

Nquthu Local Municipality is a local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 1 962 square kilometres. It falls within the uMzinyathi District Municipality. Its main centre is Nquthu.

Census 2022 counted 201 133 residents, making it the 26th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 113th of 257 nationally. That works out to 102.5 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 33 617 households, averaging 6.0 people each. 36.4% of residents are under 15 and 5.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 4.7% hold a higher education qualification and 14.0% have had no schooling.

The council has 37 seats across 4 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 19 seats (51.4%). IFP governs the municipality. Mr IL Shabalala serves as executive mayor (IFP), and Mr Mpumelelo Jiyane 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, Nquthu scores 65.6 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 R334.8 million in operating revenue against R338.2 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R3.4 million. At the last census, 20.4% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.5% used electricity for lighting and 21.9% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • IFP 19
  • ANC 14
  • ABC 3
  • EFF 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr IL Shabalala IFP
Deputy Mayor Ms MR Ngobese IFP
Speaker Mr NM Buthelezi IFP
Chief Whip ME Mnguni
Municipal Manager Mr Mpumelelo Jiyane
Chief Financial Officer Mr Bafana Hendry Bhengu
Mayoral Committee NM Zungu Chairperson: MPAC
Mayoral Committee SD Masimula Chairperson: Technical Services
Mayoral Committee Z Sithole Chairperson: LED and Planning
Senior Management Ms KC Shabalala Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr MN Nkala HOD: Technical Services
Senior Management Mr Mpume Jiyane Director: Planning Service
Senior Management Ms NT Nhlebela HOD: Planning and LED
Communications Siyabonga Shaba

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedQualified auditDisclaimer of audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates57 45051 45236 64545 63528 638
Service charges34 53928 96523 57225 10523 331
Investment revenue8 90710 99710 3496 95710 277
Transfers recognised - operational215 489186 803177 394161 585182 836
Other own revenue18 42425 8406 9709 8876 213
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)334 809304 057254 929249 169251 297
Employee costs112 281100 57087 29688 88582 866
Remuneration of councillors15 73114 04613 46213 08512 014
Depreciation and amortisation40 32936 02230 72225 42826 216
Finance charges199--3788
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases46 14933 34132 83531 17526 710
Transfers and subsidies4 3283 9854 4539 0539 505
Other expenditure119 176114 637115 932139 16894 632
Total Expenditure338 192302 602284 700307 173251 951
Surplus/(Deficit)-3 3831 455-29 771-58 004-655
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)53 26984 78141 02661 96430 628
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)--2 005--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions49 88586 23513 2613 96029 973
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year49 88586 23513 2613 96029 973

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure-8 810-56 013-59 168103 502141 323
Transfers recognised - capital16 90811 923-17 15925 775-21 170
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds-25 717-67 936-42 00960 10442 433
Total sources of capital funds-8 810-56 013-59 16885 87921 263

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets151 764138 957177 933162 891381 798
Total non current assets782 347770 347663 323630 434536 456
Total current liabilities72 13897 860115 37868 526197 875
Total non current liabilities1 5088753 3632 7792 187
Community wealth/Equity810 579724 334709 254718 058688 218

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-7 2832 016 687-6 1451 748 499282 350
Net cash from (used) investing-143 9349 784(857)(14 662)
Net cash from (used) financing----(13)
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end85 2502 269 445134 1341 945 862560 288

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure5 6707 40910 58924 953-
Irregular expenditure120 068154 22596 627121 079217 751
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure423702207233

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population201 133171 325165 307

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1536.4%40.5%42.4%
Population 15 to 6457.7%54.8%52.5%
Population over 655.9%4.7%5.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)73.382.590.6

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females86.186.683.4

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.9%0.8%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a44.4
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a53.3

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling14.0%15.5%18.1%
Matricn/a27.120.3
Higher education4.7%3.8%3.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households33 61732 62231 610
Average household size65.35.2
Female headed householdsn/a60.560.1
Formal dwellings75.5%55.4%63.1%
Housing ownedn/a81.350.4

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage20.1%4.4%5.8%
Weekly refuse removal21.9%5.7%8.5%
Piped water inside dwelling20.4%4.3%8.0%
Electricity for lighting93.5%81.8%53.0%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Number of domestic households/delivery points00000
Inside the yard00000
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided29 36328 99528 93628 36626 975
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 5622 6012 5422 5421 696

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Flush toilet - public sewerage00000
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided1 5261 4301 3701 3701 370
Domestic households with access to free basic service109717877136

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)87 29688 88582 86669 57759 564
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)13 46213 08512 01412 16311 170
Total Employee Positions298296303264347
Total Vacant Employee Positions40348860
Total Vacancy Percentage13.4%11.5%2.6%3.0%17.3%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5601200
Managerial Positions - by organogram3030303131
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram87689

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans