MunicipalitiesSA

Polokwane Local Municipality

LIM354 Local Limpopo Governed by ANC

843 459 Population Census 2022
5 054 Square kilometres 166.9 per km2
249 443 Households
90 Council seats

Polokwane Local Municipality is a local municipality in Limpopo, covering 5 054 square kilometres. It falls within the Capricorn District Municipality. Its main centre is Polokwane.

Census 2022 counted 843 459 residents, making it the 5th most populous of the 27 municipalities in Limpopo and 27th of 257 nationally. That works out to 166.9 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 249 443 households, averaging 3.4 people each. 28.1% of residents are under 15 and 6.8% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 16.8% hold a higher education qualification and 6.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 90 seats across 8 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 57 seats (63.3%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Mosema Makoro John Mpe serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Ms Thuso Nemugumoni 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, Polokwane scores 59.1 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 R6.0 billion in operating revenue against R6.3 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R272.2 million. At the last census, 41.4% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.0% used electricity for lighting and 46.5% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 57
  • EFF 20
  • DA 7
  • VF PLUS 2
  • ABC 1
  • ACDP 1
  • COPE 1
  • MSM 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Mosema Makoro John Mpe ANC
Speaker Ms Kobela Whelemina Modiba ANC
Chief Whip Mr Phethola Adolf Rapetswa
Municipal Manager Ms Thuso Nemugumoni City Manager
Chief Financial Officer Mr Thabo Nonyane Group Chief Financial Officer
Mayoral Committee Mr Alfred Moakamedi MMC: Waste and Sanitation
Mayoral Committee Ms Jeneffer Malope MMC: Waste and Environment
Mayoral Committee Mr Joosuf Pemma MMC: Community Safety
Mayoral Committee Mrs Makwena Betty Kgare MMC: Admin and Governance
Mayoral Committee Ms Nomonde Albertina Sivhabu MMC: Energy Services
Mayoral Committee Mrs Puleng Mashangoane MMC: Local Economic Development, Land Use and Spatial Planning
Mayoral Committee Mr Tebele Jerry Mamabolo MMC: Sports, Arts, Culture and Special Programmes
Mayoral Committee Mr Thabang Desmond Moloto MMC: Roads, Transport and Stormwater
Mayoral Committee Mr Tshepo Nkwe MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee Zanele Fikile Mashalane MMC: Human Settlements
Senior Management Mr David Ramakgwakgwa Director: Transportation Services
Senior Management Mr Edward Hutamo Executive Director: Community Services
Senior Management Ms Molatelo Mashego Executive Director: Planning Economic and Development
Senior Management Mothobi Mokaeane Chief Executive Officer: Polokwane Housing Association
Senior Management Mr Phuti Donald Matsi Executive Director: Corporate and Shared Services
Senior Management Ms Prudence Chepape Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer
Senior Management Ms Rirhandzu Mabunda Executive Director: Roads and Storm Water
Senior Management Mr Vheli Mthombeni Acting: Chief Operations Officer
Communications Mr Thipa Selala Manager: Communication and Marketing

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates710 102593 067572 860528 180470 568
Service charges2 215 7591 966 7401 735 4621 815 5161 581 445
Investment revenue69 80648 17838 8159 64112 333
Transfers recognised - operational1 678 6541 538 7251 403 5491 215 9461 386 384
Other own revenue1 306 963298 131417 518461 346207 420
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)5 981 2844 444 8414 168 2054 030 6303 658 151
Employee costs1 094 9651 114 5361 072 0161 026 750973 200
Remuneration of councillors83 71143 87741 38439 34938 692
Depreciation and amortisation901 3251 192 608754 453784 230961 689
Finance charges52 06450 80857 83759 73761 770
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases1 472 0191 293 8991 082 4681 132 2321 026 606
Transfers and subsidies16 48015 4809 67145 24066 558
Other expenditure2 632 9101 647 5002 105 9501 914 2961 256 226
Total Expenditure6 253 4745 358 7085 123 7805 001 8354 384 743
Surplus/(Deficit)-272 190-913 867-955 575-971 206-726 592
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)615 386770 125612 013655 398764 993
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)13 7815 185576--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions356 977-138 558-342 986-315 80738 401
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year356 977-138 558-342 986-315 80738 401

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure791 402870 919625 278685 491840 161
Transfers recognised - capital536 998634 351517 418519 741693 246
Borrowing----(885)
Internally generated funds254 403236 568103 833165 299143 098
Total sources of capital funds791 402870 919621 251685 040835 459

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets2 272 1281 673 2181 547 2831 576 1111 537 643
Total non current assets15 612 38615 658 78315 888 04613 823 63817 201 480
Total current liabilities1 172 117979 703874 2421 216 8511 145 449
Total non current liabilities872 326869 203866 679916 062971 218
Community wealth/Equity15 840 07115 483 09515 693 13513 360 48816 627 984

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating1 398 9711 460 4023 349 8762 018 9313 973 179
Net cash from (used) investing-765 635-910 977-743 683-831 503-733 869
Net cash from (used) financing----(499)
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end976 612733 7952 838 8621 488 5832 476 525

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure234 479932 0591 040 5571 669 132614 253
Irregular expenditure222 040432 463255 808167 25772 935
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure32 3956 105-17 12518

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population843 459797 127728 633

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1528.1%30.7%31.1%
Population 15 to 6465.1%64.4%63.2%
Population over 656.8%4.9%5.7%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)53.655.458.2

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females93.292.891.1

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.4%2.0%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/an/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/an/a

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling6.6%9.2%7.7%
Matricn/a33.928.4
Higher education16.8%13.6%15.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households249 443239 116203 605
Average household size3.43.33.6
Female headed householdsn/a44.946.2
Formal dwellings95.0%93.4%90.2%
Housing ownedn/a67.355.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage48.3%40.4%38.6%
Weekly refuse removal46.5%38.8%38.9%
Piped water inside dwelling41.4%26.3%30.4%
Electricity for lighting95.0%94.4%83.0%

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 provided207 403207 403205 367172 641194 236
Number of domestic households/delivery points203 554203 554201 518168 792190 478
Inside the yard147 934147 934145 898142 601135 632
Less than 200m from yard16 17016 17016 17016 87038 586
More than 200m from yard39 45039 45039 4509 32116 260
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 6296 80412 90612 90611 910

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided286 873286 873286 223240 544239 116
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 6296 20911 87711 87710 898

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided180 869180 869180 701178 309167 196
Flush toilet - public sewerage81 83981 83981 67179 89172 627
Flush toilet - septic tank30530530500
Ventilated pit latrine94 56994 56994 56994 56994 569
Bucket system00000
Other30730730700
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 6296 80412 70211 87710 898

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided104 078104 078103 682103 537103 585
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 6296 98612 99612 90612 196

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)1 072 0161 026 750973 200922 982854 608
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)41 38439 34938 69238 52237 955
Total Employee Positions2 5642 0882 0882 0632 951
Total Vacant Employee Positions53623114997
Total Vacancy Percentage20.9%1.1%0.5%0.2%33.8%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5699999
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5635002
Managerial Positions - by organogram4545454540
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram11181144

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans