MunicipalitiesSA

Umsobomvu Local Municipality

NC072 Local Northern Cape Governed by ANC

29 555 Population Census 2022
6 813 Square kilometres 4.3 per km2
8 057 Households
13 Council seats

Umsobomvu Local Municipality is a local municipality in Northern Cape, covering 6 813 square kilometres. It falls within the Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Colesberg, Norvalspont and Noupoort.

Census 2022 counted 29 555 residents, making it the 18th most populous of the 31 municipalities in Northern Cape and 241st of 257 nationally. That works out to 4.3 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 8 057 households, averaging 3.7 people each. 28.8% of residents are under 15 and 6.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 7.0% hold a higher education qualification and 9.2% have had no schooling.

The council has 13 seats across 3 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 7 seats (53.8%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Mzwandile Simon Toto (Chairperson: Finance and Technical Services Portfolio) serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Themsile Msengana 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, Umsobomvu scores 50.7 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 R244.3 million in operating revenue against R284.4 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R40.1 million. At the last census, 63.5% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 96.1% used electricity for lighting and 87.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 7
  • URA 4
  • DA 2

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Mzwandile Simon Toto (Chairperson: Finance and Technical Services Portfolio) ANC
Speaker Mrs ND Stafa ANC
Chief Whip Mr B Mangaliso
Municipal Manager Mr Themsile Msengana
Chief Financial Officer Mr Ncedo Thiso Acting
Mayoral Committee Abongwe Philgetto Poyo
Mayoral Committee Mr Grant Marlon Hugh Douw
Mayoral Committee Mr Johannes Petrus Matthee
Mayoral Committee L Zakhe Chairperson: Community Service Portfolio
Mayoral Committee Mr Luvuyo Tyindyi Chairperson: Corporate Services Portfolio
Mayoral Committee NS Mlungwana
Mayoral Committee SA Yabo
Mayoral Committee Thembelihle Matebese
Mayoral Committee VP Harmse
Mayoral Committee Mr Willem Minnie MPAC Chairperson
Senior Management Mr Lethu Mthembu Senior Manager: Technical Services
Senior Management Mrs Shereave Felix Senior Manager: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Siphiwo James Senior Manager: Community Services
Communications Mr S Phololo

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates19 449-34 73617 77115 39314 387
Service charges87 20886 65771 34170 33461 094
Investment revenue8107591 02395157
Transfers recognised - operational79 83774 53869 13260 35765 713
Other own revenue56 97750 43639 86346 00634 025
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)244 281177 654199 130192 186175 376
Employee costs66 49758 65552 83257 41957 291
Remuneration of councillors6 1845 7805 3414 8563 996
Depreciation and amortisation31 54738 89035 7392029 516
Finance charges2 2933 4623 6578411 116
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases55 62047 21438 55637 95132 527
Transfers and subsidies-----
Other expenditure122 28255 81794 169129 30156 589
Total Expenditure284 423209 818230 294230 389181 035
Surplus/(Deficit)-40 142-32 164-31 164-38 203-5 659
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)26 07618 16126 28724 64420 984
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)----7 688
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-14 066-14 003-4 877-13 56023 013
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-14 066-14 003-4 877-13 56023 013

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure9 296-03 904-42 793
Transfers recognised - capital24 5983 9127 8304 468-49 437
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds-15 302-3 912-7 8301 3221 987
Total sources of capital funds9 296-05 791-47 450

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets206 111172 147136 761110 792106 077
Total non current assets505 647506 110522 404516 432506 707
Total current liabilities146 644158 22194 637108 72476 875
Total non current liabilities28 76129 01121 5019 5788 773
Community wealth/Equity536 354491 026543 027508 921504 122

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating166 290127 305181 161187 412-
Net cash from (used) investing-23 309-18 765-27 275-16 776-172
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end145 384110 943152 558172 5863 240

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure88 429--56 78827 819
Irregular expenditure1 3311 1382 22816 98610 716
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure1 4826821 900570-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population29 55530 88328 376

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1528.8%25.1%31.4%
Population 15 to 6464.5%69.0%62.8%
Population over 656.7%5.9%5.8%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)55.144.959.3

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females89.494.693.2

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum0.4%1.9%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a33
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a40.4

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling9.2%9.9%16.3%
Matricn/a26.723.1
Higher education7.0%5.5%6.2%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households8 0579 5757 841
Average household size3.73.23.6
Female headed householdsn/a4041.5
Formal dwellings94.7%89.2%88.2%
Housing ownedn/a54.452.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage91.7%72.6%74.0%
Weekly refuse removal87.3%76.7%76.3%
Piped water inside dwelling63.5%42.3%45.1%
Electricity for lighting96.1%93.7%86.7%

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 provided8 8198 8198 8198 8198 819
Number of domestic households/delivery points8 8198 8198 8198 8198 819
Inside the yard8 5228 5228 5228 5228 522
Less than 200m from yard285285285285285
More than 200m from yard1212121212
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 9132 3002 1002 3271 145

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided9 2008 6208 6208 6208 620
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 9132 3002 1002 3271 145

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided8 3158 3158 3158 3158 205
Flush toilet - public sewerage8 0688 0688 0688 0687 828
Flush toilet - septic tank110110110110235
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system2020202051
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 9132 3002 1002 3271 145

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided7 7107 7107 6797 4547 454
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 9132 3002 1002 3271 145

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)52 83257 41957 29151 73843 353
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)5 3414 8563 9964 1284 047
Total Employee Positions198212212203232
Total Vacant Employee Positions791221
Total Vacancy Percentage3.5%4.3%0.5%1.0%9.1%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655555
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5651110
Managerial Positions - by organogram55555
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram20012

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans