Thembelihle Local Municipality
Thembelihle Local Municipality is a local municipality in Northern Cape, covering 8 023 square kilometres. It falls within the Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Hopetown and Strydenburg.
Census 2022 counted 22 542 residents, making it the 22nd most populous of the 31 municipalities in Northern Cape and 246th of 257 nationally. That works out to 2.8 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 5 211 households, averaging 4.3 people each. 29.2% of residents are under 15 and 8.0% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.6% hold a higher education qualification and 9.2% have had no schooling.
The council has 11 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 5 seats (45.5%). Hung Council governs the municipality. Mr Marnus Visser serves as executive mayor (SGB), and Ms Kealeboga Gaborone 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, Thembelihle scores 16.1 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of F, described as critical. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R96.4 million in operating revenue against R135.4 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R39.0 million. At the last census, 49.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 86.8% used electricity for lighting and 49.7% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- ANC 5 45.5%
- EFF 3 27.3%
- DA 1 9.1%
- SGB 1 9.1%
- VF PLUS 1 9.1%
Office bearers
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit | Qualified audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 8 101 | 7 501 | 15 758 | 15 781 | 5 015 |
| Service charges | 26 969 | 25 176 | 24 371 | 18 962 | 19 710 |
| Investment revenue | 156 | 381 | 355 | 47 | 27 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 48 755 | 44 125 | 40 159 | 33 277 | 39 145 |
| Other own revenue | 12 431 | 10 470 | 11 739 | 11 606 | 6 618 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 96 412 | 87 653 | 92 382 | 79 674 | 70 515 |
| Employee costs | 40 839 | 38 967 | 35 238 | 33 047 | 34 128 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 5 945 | 6 011 | 4 737 | 4 409 | 3 055 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 9 286 | 14 186 | 19 624 | 15 073 | 14 686 |
| Finance charges | 6 598 | 11 792 | 10 442 | 7 167 | 3 492 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 21 312 | 19 689 | 16 614 | 16 546 | 13 484 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 261 | 96 | 382 | 20 | 519 |
| Other expenditure | 51 158 | 40 961 | 29 990 | 20 340 | 40 813 |
| Total Expenditure | 135 399 | 131 703 | 117 027 | 96 601 | 110 177 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -38 987 | -44 050 | -24 644 | -16 927 | -39 661 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 6 289 | 13 345 | 17 677 | 13 527 | 13 246 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -32 699 | -30 704 | -6 967 | -3 400 | -26 415 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -32 699 | -30 704 | -6 967 | -3 400 | -26 415 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 2 228 | 11 471 | -110 | 12 128 | 12 167 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 2 228 | 11 471 | 565 | 12 058 | 12 142 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | - | - | (675) | 46 | 737 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 2 228 | 11 471 | -110 | 12 104 | 12 879 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 68 511 | 66 245 | 55 230 | 42 048 | 10 762 |
| Total non current assets | 260 019 | 264 307 | 271 518 | 276 730 | 269 539 |
| Total current liabilities | 167 152 | 223 021 | 223 886 | 186 530 | 153 793 |
| Total non current liabilities | 86 765 | 9 482 | 8 672 | 8 672 | 9 652 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 107 310 | 128 753 | 101 157 | 126 977 | 143 271 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | -80 476 | 611 179 | 633 568 | 1 518 889 | 71 869 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | - | (13 135) | (14 651) | (13 376) | (14 444) |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | (4) | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | -80 256 | 602 323 | 619 550 | 1 505 592 | 54 776 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 8 005 | 50 614 | 15 520 | 178 464 | 10 626 |
| Irregular expenditure | 828 | 3 844 | 7 814 | 27 435 | 4 023 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 5 596 | 10 430 | 8 120 | 44 333 | - |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22 542 | 16 230 | 15 701 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 29.2% | 25.0% | 30.9% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 62.8% | 68.5% | 62.8% |
| Population over 65 | 8.0% | 6.5% | 6.4% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 59.3 | 46 | 59.3 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 92.1 | 104.6 | 103.3 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 3.5% | 0.8% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 28.4 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 35.2 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 9.2% | 10.8% | 15.1% |
| Matric | n/a | 22.2 | 19.9 |
| Higher education | 7.6% | 5.0% | 6.5% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 5 211 | 4 736 | 4 138 |
| Average household size | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 32.4 | 32.3 |
| Formal dwellings | 68.1% | 77.4% | 77.5% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 51 | 51.4 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 69.2% | 66.4% | 65.4% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 49.7% | 59.4% | 68.4% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 49.6% | 39.9% | 33.5% |
| Electricity for lighting | 86.8% | 84.2% | 75.2% |
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 | 3 596 | 3 596 | 3 592 | 3 592 | 3 592 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 3 452 | 3 452 | 3 448 | 3 448 | 3 448 |
| Inside the yard | 2 758 | 2 758 | 2 758 | 2 758 | 2 758 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 470 | 470 | 470 | 470 | 470 |
| More than 200m from yard | 224 | 224 | 220 | 220 | 220 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 771 | 771 | 469 | 725 | 516 |
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 | 4 736 | 4 736 | 4 736 | 4 736 | 4 736 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 771 | 771 | 469 | 725 | 516 |
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 | 3 843 | 3 843 | 3 565 | 3 565 | 3 565 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 2 249 | 2 249 | 2 166 | 2 166 | 2 166 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 293 | 293 | 220 | 220 | 220 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 304 | 304 | 679 | 679 | 679 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 853 | 853 | 356 | 356 | 356 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 771 | 771 | 469 | 725 | 516 |
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 | 3 431 | 3 431 | 3 431 | 3 431 | 3 431 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 771 | 771 | 469 | 725 | 516 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 35 238 | 33 047 | 34 128 | 30 319 | 27 351 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 4 737 | 4 409 | 3 055 | 2 731 | 2 859 |
| Total Employee Positions | 104 | 104 | 161 | 161 | 197 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 19.3% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury