MunicipalitiesSA

uMgungundlovu District Municipality

DC22 District KwaZulu-Natal Governed by n/a

1 235 715 Population Census 2022
9 602 Square kilometres 128.7 per km2
307 842 Households
17 Council seats Coalition governed

uMgungundlovu District Municipality is a district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 9 602 square kilometres. It coordinates 7 local municipalities: Impendle, Mkhambathini, Mpofana, Msunduzi, Richmond, uMngeni and uMshwathi. It takes in 12 recognised towns and settlements, among them Ashburton, Camperdown, Cool Air, Dalton, Hilton, Howick, Impendle, Mooi River.

Census 2022 counted 1 235 715 residents, making it the 2nd most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 15th of 257 nationally. That works out to 128.7 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 307 842 households, averaging 4.0 people each. 24.5% of residents are under 15 and 7.2% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 13.1% hold a higher education qualification and 5.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 17 seats across 3 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 10 seats (58.8%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Muziwokuthula Zuma serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Dr X Muthwa 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, uMgungundlovu scores 53 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R1.5 billion in operating revenue against R1.6 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R83.1 million. At the last census, 51.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.3% used electricity for lighting and 52.8% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 10
  • DA 4
  • EFF 3

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Muziwokuthula Zuma ANC
Deputy Mayor Ms SA Dlamini-Mabaso ANC
Speaker Ms NMN Gabela ANC
Chief Whip Mr SR Majozi
Municipal Manager Dr X Muthwa
Chief Financial Officer Mr Vusi Kunene
Mayoral Committee Mr BA Mkhize
Mayoral Committee Mr DM Msomi
Mayoral Committee Ms DS Mkhize
Mayoral Committee Mr ED Dladla MPAC Chair
Mayoral Committee Ms HM Lake
Mayoral Committee Mr M Mthethwa
Mayoral Committee Ms SP Zungu
Mayoral Committee Mr TC Madondo
Senior Management Mr Ben Cele COO
Senior Management Mr J Dlamini HOD: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Mrs M Mncwabe Acting HOD: Community Services
Senior Management Mr MJ Sithole HOD: Economic Development and Planning
Senior Management Ms TSN Hadebe HOD: Corporate Services
Communications Mr Brian Zuma

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges524 259483 921446 991310 099294 646
Investment revenue30 50934 56618 6353 4792 907
Transfers recognised - operational446 679382 742706 335623 124585 717
Other own revenue467 813455 47871 53132 42464 962
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 469 2601 356 7071 243 492969 126948 232
Employee costs360 113312 776277 705280 117265 513
Remuneration of councillors16 35916 37715 39911 53111 691
Depreciation and amortisation66 70791 06265 58751 68153 116
Finance charges15 20416 85920 70219 72821 033
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases247 151203 736190 568184 878271 483
Transfers and subsidies12 91012 0379 5509 1586 500
Other expenditure833 880688 070663 187439 813416 875
Total Expenditure1 552 3251 340 9181 242 699996 9061 046 212
Surplus/(Deficit)-83 06515 789793-27 781-97 979
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)175 508196 895312 140278 979224 928
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-3 339369--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions92 444216 023313 302251 198126 948
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year92 444216 023313 302251 198126 948

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure517 511202 124406 833407 355307 631
Transfers recognised - capital466 245171 142400 543405 500299 231
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds51 26530 9825 9211 8558 400
Total sources of capital funds517 511202 124406 465407 355307 631

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets356 571320 867404 800177 302144 458
Total non current assets2 746 9062 664 6532 550 307-718 7942 185 259
Total current liabilities295 149275 423425 291282 701285 395
Total non current liabilities184 061195 028167 682180 016221 189
Community wealth/Equity2 531 8232 299 0472 048 832-1 255 4061 696 185

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating3 540 888346 887-188 597-6 402-
Net cash from (used) investing-46 505-45 538---
Net cash from (used) financing-29 126-14 122-28 426-10 962-
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end3 698 383520 38016 107215 77622

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure84 513186 532256 83765 63086 575
Irregular expenditure156 925176 423345 92768113 332
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure61420 0951283

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population1 235 7151 095 8651 014 572

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1524.5%33.1%28.3%
Population 15 to 6468.4%62.8%66.4%
Population over 657.2%4.1%5.3%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)46.359.250.5

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females91.193.291.5

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.9%1.9%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 schooling5.6%5.9%8.3%
Matricn/a36.929.7
Higher education13.1%12.8%10.8%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households307 842298 463272 357
Average household size43.73.7
Female headed householdsn/a46.445.8
Formal dwellings88.6%76.6%70.8%
Housing ownedn/a70.152.8

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage58.3%40.5%49.5%
Weekly refuse removal52.8%41.4%44.4%
Piped water inside dwelling51.1%37.7%42.8%
Electricity for lighting97.3%92.4%86.5%

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 provided93 40990 19086 35180 74980 749
Number of domestic households/delivery points91 15987 94084 10180 74980 749
Inside the yard74 47471 25568 05566 32566 325
Less than 200m from yard16 68516 68516 04614 42414 424
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 1821 5481 1673 2803 280

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided91 34788 11083 62977 84577 845
Flush toilet - public sewerage17 63816 62812 40910 67910 679
Flush toilet - septic tank11 7597 8437 5817 5817 581
Ventilated pit latrine59 70048 86148 86147 05747 057
Bucket system00000
Other012 52812 52812 52812 528
Domestic households with access to free basic service3 1821 8001 1671 1221 122

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)277 705280 117265 513258 160242 633
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)15 39911 53111 69111 60611 628
Total Employee Positions724876511545591
Total Vacant Employee Positions2043740450
Total Vacancy Percentage28.2%42.7%0.0%0.7%8.5%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5611041
Managerial Positions - by organogram3939393838
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram95003

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans