uMkhanyakude District Municipality
uMkhanyakude District Municipality is a district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, covering 13 855 square kilometres. It coordinates 4 local municipalities: Hlabisa Big Five, Mtubatuba, Jozini and Umhlabuyalingana. It takes in the towns and settlements of Hlabisa, Hluhluwe, Ingwavuma, Jozini, Mbazwana, Mkuze, Mtubatuba and St Lucia.
Census 2022 counted 738 437 residents, making it the 9th most populous of the 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and 39th of 257 nationally. That works out to 53.3 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 129 066 households, averaging 5.7 people each. 33.5% of residents are under 15 and 4.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 5.2% hold a higher education qualification and 19.8% have had no schooling.
The council has 13 seats across 2 parties, with IFP holding the largest share at 7 seats (53.8%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Siphile Mdaka serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr WM Nxumalo 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, Umkhanyakude scores 29.3 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R747.6 million in operating revenue against R1.1 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R373.2 million. At the last census, 24.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 90.1% used electricity for lighting and 21.2% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- IFP 7 53.8%
- ANC 6 46.2%
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 | Disclaimer of audit | Disclaimer of audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | - | - | - | - | - |
| Service charges | 55 773 | 46 543 | 26 326 | 36 822 | 45 260 |
| Investment revenue | 18 029 | 23 941 | 16 605 | 7 013 | 5 316 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 662 417 | 605 684 | 555 925 | 488 580 | 519 820 |
| Other own revenue | 11 345 | -4 055 | 36 315 | 15 949 | 11 916 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 747 563 | 672 113 | 635 171 | 548 364 | 582 312 |
| Employee costs | 199 260 | 170 875 | 213 702 | 190 416 | 193 226 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 13 736 | 13 249 | 9 558 | 8 558 | 8 738 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 118 895 | 95 063 | 94 363 | 52 574 | 62 693 |
| Finance charges | 2 604 | 161 | 1 164 | 2 087 | 3 179 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 293 336 | 234 193 | 175 303 | 151 680 | 117 887 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 522 | - | - | - | - |
| Other expenditure | 492 391 | 355 869 | 228 851 | 187 353 | 286 278 |
| Total Expenditure | 1 120 745 | 869 410 | 722 939 | 592 668 | 672 002 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -373 181 | -197 298 | -87 768 | -44 304 | -89 690 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 236 602 | 241 626 | 157 719 | 175 749 | 259 776 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | 93 278 | 11 164 | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | -136 579 | 44 328 | 163 229 | 142 609 | 170 086 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | -136 579 | 44 328 | 163 229 | 142 609 | 170 086 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 3 223 918 | 3 072 265 | 2 927 222 | 2 698 150 | 2 603 184 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 3 205 180 | 3 029 771 | 2 882 434 | 2 654 299 | 2 558 448 |
| Borrowing | - | - | - | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 18 738 | 42 494 | 44 789 | 43 851 | 44 736 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 3 223 918 | 3 072 265 | 2 927 222 | 2 698 150 | 2 603 184 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 277 568 | 319 689 | 467 198 | 495 573 | 410 828 |
| Total non current assets | 2 198 147 | 2 180 451 | 2 101 074 | 1 923 642 | 2 130 383 |
| Total current liabilities | 404 978 | 312 223 | 302 040 | 332 283 | 390 340 |
| Total non current liabilities | 60 500 | 56 026 | 49 521 | 48 255 | 44 416 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 2 146 816 | 2 087 562 | 2 053 482 | 1 896 069 | 1 936 369 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 194 111 | 413 551 | 205 895 | 47 786 | n/a |
| Net cash from (used) investing | - | - | - | - | n/a |
| Net cash from (used) financing | - | - | - | - | n/a |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 194 111 | 413 551 | 205 895 | 47 786 | n/a |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | 484 450 | 171 830 | 143 490 | 503 834 | 31 858 |
| Irregular expenditure | 194 766 | 1 183 039 | 336 284 | 1 523 973 | 193 344 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | 37 | 3 201 | 866 | 92 403 | 9 785 |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 738 437 | 689 090 | 625 846 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 33.5% | 40.9% | 40.3% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 61.6% | 55.2% | 55.3% |
| Population over 65 | 4.9% | 3.9% | 4.5% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 62.4 | 81.2 | 81 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 87.1 | 88.7 | 85.6 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 1.6% | 2.2% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 42.8 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 51.2 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 19.8% | 17.8% | 25.3% |
| Matric | n/a | 31.1 | 25.4 |
| Higher education | 5.2% | 6.4% | 4.8% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 129 066 | 151 245 | 128 191 |
| Average household size | 5.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 54.2 | 53.9 |
| Formal dwellings | 90.7% | 70.1% | 71.7% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 77 | 47.7 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 25.5% | 7.5% | 13.2% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 21.2% | 4.0% | 9.0% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 24.6% | 6.9% | 13.4% |
| Electricity for lighting | 90.1% | 52.8% | 38.4% |
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 | 138 710 | 123 594 | 123 594 | 123 594 | 123 594 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 136 160 | 121 044 | 121 044 | 121 044 | 121 044 |
| Inside the yard | 57 115 | 57 115 | 57 115 | 57 115 | 57 115 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 63 929 | 63 929 | 63 929 | 63 929 | 63 929 |
| More than 200m from yard | 15 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 17 717 | 17 000 | 17 000 | 17 000 | 17 000 |
Electricity
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 8 070 | 8 070 | 8 070 | 3 052 | 3 052 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 | 133 307 | 124 336 | 124 336 | 124 336 | 124 336 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 9 970 | 9 970 | 9 970 | 9 970 | 9 970 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 19 633 | 19 633 | 19 633 | 19 633 | 19 633 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 103 704 | 94 733 | 94 733 | 94 733 | 94 733 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Solid waste services
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 213 702 | 190 416 | 193 226 | 177 135 | 166 919 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 9 558 | 8 558 | 8 738 | 9 309 | 8 929 |
| Total Employee Positions | 711 | 1 161 | 360 | 505 | 349 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 309 | 812 | 5 | 171 | 7 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 43.5% | 69.9% | 1.4% | 33.9% | 2.0% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 30 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 22 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury