MunicipalitiesSA

West Rand District Municipality

DC48 District Gauteng Governed by n/a

998 466 Population Census 2022
4 090 Square kilometres 244.1 per km2
356 530 Households
17 Council seats Coalition governed

West Rand District Municipality is a district municipality in Gauteng, covering 4 090 square kilometres. It coordinates 3 local municipalities: Merafong City, Mogale City and Rand West City. It takes in the towns and settlements of Carletonville, Fochville, Krugersdorp, Magaliesburg, Muldersdrift, Randfontein, Wedela and Westonaria.

Census 2022 counted 998 466 residents, making it the 5th most populous of the 11 municipalities in Gauteng and 19th of 257 nationally. That works out to 244.1 people per square kilometre. Settlement is concentrated rather than scattered. There are 356 530 households, averaging 2.8 people each. 23.7% of residents are under 15 and 5.3% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 11.1% hold a higher education qualification and 4.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 17 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 8 seats (47.1%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Thabiso Bovungana serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Elias Koloi 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, West Rand scores 68.5 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of C, described as fair. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “clean audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R313.3 million in operating revenue against R320.9 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R7.6 million. At the last census, 76.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.1% used electricity for lighting and 84.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 8
  • DA 5
  • EFF 3
  • AIC 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Thabiso Bovungana ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Bethuel Munyai ANC
Chief Whip Mildred Ndzilane
Municipal Manager Elias Koloi
Chief Financial Officer Samuel Ramaele
Mayoral Committee Dennis Thabe MMC: Infrastructure and Human Settlement
Mayoral Committee Gladys Khoza-Itani MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee Mr Itani Mukwevho MMC: Health and Social Development & SRAC
Mayoral Committee Leroy Legabe MMC: Environment
Mayoral Committee Nonkoliso Tundzi-Hawu MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Sifiso Dikana MMC: Transport and Roads
Mayoral Committee Sivuyile Boyce MMC: Re-Industrialisation
Mayoral Committee Tumi Molusi MMC: Public Safety
Senior Management Grace Magole Corporate Services
Senior Management Dr Mary Daka Health and Social Development
Senior Management Zeblon Mphaphuli Regional Development Planning and Environmental Management
Communications Mr Clement Mohlala

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEClean auditClean auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges532514568519232
Investment revenue5 1216 6653 3341 4951 280
Transfers recognised - operational301 968267 522249 460239 794241 821
Other own revenue5 7054 2155 0905 8402 335
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)313 326278 916258 452247 648245 667
Employee costs232 369215 993210 246199 954199 164
Remuneration of councillors13 43713 15511 97811 01912 434
Depreciation and amortisation5 8395 4505 1236 0304 384
Finance charges02 7742 5453 4761 290
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases926740475267254
Transfers and subsidies11 63112 24211 93211 36311 223
Other expenditure56 727106 34470 81726 04644 351
Total Expenditure320 929356 697313 115258 156273 100
Surplus/(Deficit)-7 603-77 781-54 663-10 508-27 434
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)3 46279 40446 6629 5183 118
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)372--9-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-3 7681 623-8 001-980-24 315
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate----6
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-3 7681 623-8 001-980-24 310

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure4 2155 9982 1305 25921 436
Transfers recognised - capital3 3815 7174194 758-
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds721517921--
Total sources of capital funds4 1036 2341 3404 758-

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets9 44490 21361 36045 09446 268
Total non current assets67 88369 68968 43371 43870 070
Total current liabilities100 870189 948183 858167 927170 729
Total non current liabilities82 43781 25859 85656 37252 096
Community wealth/Equity-105 979-111 303-113 921-107 933-106 591

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating368 5381 316 809558 344456 097634 746
Net cash from (used) investing-2 809-4 391-1 137-7 655-333
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end375 3441 330 944559 848449 688634 911

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure--5 11586 51514 986
Irregular expenditure---16 96449 070
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure-7165832 39412

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population998 466838 594821 191

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1523.7%23.1%24.1%
Population 15 to 6471.0%71.7%71.9%
Population over 655.3%5.2%4.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)40.839.439.2

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females102.4107.6109

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.9%0.5%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a26.3
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a35.2

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling4.1%3.8%5.2%
Matricn/a34.730.1
Higher education11.1%10.1%10.3%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households356 530330 572267 460
Average household size2.82.53.1
Female headed householdsn/a31.731.1
Formal dwellings88.1%76.3%72.7%
Housing ownedn/a4336

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage90.7%80.1%80.7%
Weekly refuse removal84.3%79.3%76.8%
Piped water inside dwelling76.7%55.5%53.6%
Electricity for lighting95.1%83.5%81.7%

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?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?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?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)210 246199 954199 164168 717176 203
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)11 97811 01912 43413 24413 020
Total Employee Positions366382368386371
Total Vacant Employee Positions181516183
Total Vacancy Percentage4.9%3.9%4.4%4.7%0.8%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5610133
Managerial Positions - by organogram3131313015
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram171515150

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans