MunicipalitiesSA

Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality

EC129 Local Eastern Cape Governed by ANC

178 594 Population Census 2022
6 357 Square kilometres 28.1 per km2
53 047 Households
45 Council seats

Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality is a local municipality in Eastern Cape, covering 6 357 square kilometres. It falls within the Amathole District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Adelaide, Alice, Bedford, Hogsback, KwaMaqoma (Fort Beaufort), Middeldrift and Seymore.

Census 2022 counted 178 594 residents, making it the 20th most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 122nd of 257 nationally. That works out to 28.1 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 53 047 households, averaging 3.4 people each. 25.9% of residents are under 15 and 9.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 8.7% hold a higher education qualification and 4.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 45 seats across 7 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 33 seats (73.3%). ANC governs the municipality. Ms Nomhle Beauty Sango serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Ms Unathi Malinzi 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, Raymond Mhlaba scores 48.9 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R686.4 million in operating revenue against R558.0 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R128.4 million. At the last census, 43.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.4% used electricity for lighting and 48.7% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 33
  • DA 3
  • EFF 3
  • INDEPENDENT 3
  • AIC 1
  • PA 1
  • PAC 1

Office bearers

Mayor Ms Nomhle Beauty Sango ANC
Speaker Thozama Ngaye ANC
Chief Whip Ms Nonkazimlo Primrose Mlamla
Municipal Manager Ms Unathi Malinzi
Chief Financial Officer Mr Mveleni Ngxowa
Mayoral Committee Bukelwa Sharon Tyhali Exco: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Elton Bantam Exco: Community Services
Mayoral Committee Ernst Lombard Exco
Mayoral Committee Mhlangabezi Nombombo Exco
Mayoral Committee Portia Sabane Exco: Sport, Arts and Culture
Mayoral Committee Sinethemba Mjakuca Exco: Budget and Treasury Office
Mayoral Committee Sithembele Zuka Exco: Engineering Services
Mayoral Committee Ms Zingisa Rasmeni Strategic Planning and LED
Senior Management Mr Daluxolo Mlenzana Director: Engineering Services
Senior Management Dr Lulamile Donacious Hanabe Director: Strategic Planning and LED
Senior Management Ms N Speelman Director: Community Service
Senior Management Mrs T Ncapayi Director: Corporate Services
Communications Ms S Mtiya Manager: Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates109 814106 130107 71595 847103 629
Service charges136 299116 330108 938103 83691 015
Investment revenue4 1074 0672 4661 9561 553
Transfers recognised - operational235 553208 227217 855199 993225 393
Other own revenue200 59485 13259 80754 95537 414
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)686 366519 887496 780456 588459 004
Employee costs216 103215 816207 191202 488192 229
Remuneration of councillors21 17920 26718 84218 31218 464
Depreciation and amortisation40 16986 95523 52632 37728 649
Finance charges8 93316 84628 00621 37413 435
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases105 32790 71978 46582 61870 363
Transfers and subsidies10 48210 18611 1869 37212 978
Other expenditure155 776204 85150 6761 956208 712
Total Expenditure557 969645 640417 892368 495544 830
Surplus/(Deficit)128 397-125 75378 88888 093-85 826
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)72 70682 17953 76539 36154 889
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions201 103-43 574132 654127 453-30 938
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year201 103-43 574132 654127 453-30 938

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure58 09361 86048 47510 206n/a
Transfers recognised - capital46 74450 28336 3656n/a
Borrowing----n/a
Internally generated funds-223130--n/a
Total sources of capital funds46 52150 41336 3656n/a

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets548 538419 250450 400284 01379 363
Total non current assets797 609795 697816 100764 199774 719
Total current liabilities324 860219 094510 612464 758416 699
Total non current liabilities131 518307 187104 96589 85381 111
Community wealth/Equity688 666732 239518 269366 148356 272

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-829 533-687 679-224 60974 28210 943
Net cash from (used) investing-----
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-833 197-691 343-228 27370 61810 975

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure---3 195-
Irregular expenditure126 86124 72980 969133 57216 564
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure13 22810 60923 3465 75224 949

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population178 594159 515151 379

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1525.9%29.2%29.0%
Population 15 to 6464.2%65.3%61.9%
Population over 659.9%5.6%9.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)55.853.261.5

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females92.792.992.7

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.6%1.2%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 schooling4.6%3.9%7.1%
Matricn/a2615.7
Higher education8.7%5.9%6.8%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households53 04741 02242 065
Average household size3.43.93.6
Female headed householdsn/a47.948.8
Formal dwellings88.6%74.5%73.6%
Housing ownedn/a6456.5

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage60.1%41.7%37.9%
Weekly refuse removal48.7%29.2%31.1%
Piped water inside dwelling43.7%23.5%23.8%
Electricity for lighting97.4%96.5%89.0%

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 provided36 24536 24536 15136 15136 046
Domestic households with access to free basic service17 09617 59617 59617 58617 596

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 provided22 27215 62015 62015 62015 620
Domestic households with access to free basic service2 0475 8679 0335 6255 625

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)207 191202 488192 229n/a133 752
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)18 84218 31218 464n/a17 027
Total Employee Positions479678678664675
Total Vacant Employee Positions52212625
Total Vacancy Percentage1.0%0.3%0.3%19.0%3.7%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5611110
Managerial Positions - by organogram2422222227
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram411113

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans