Z
Municipalities
Zululand District Municipality (DC26)
Metropolitan, district, and local municipalities across South Africa.
DC26
Active
https://www.zululand.gov.za
Overview
Zululand District Municipality (DC26) is a KwaZulu-Natal district authority responsible for regional planning and shared support across its local municipalities. It contributes to district-wide development strategies, infrastructure coordination and capacity support where cooperative delivery improves outcomes. The district provides a platform for alignment, monitoring and collaborative planning, helping strengthen service delivery and resilience across the Zululand region.
Geography, History & Economy
- AbaQulusi Local Municipality
- eDumbe Local Municipality
- Nongoma Local Municipality
- Ulundi Local Municipality
- uPhongolo Local Municipality
Map
Council & Management
Composition of Council:
IFP 8, ANC 3, NFP 3, EFF 1 (40% PR Seats)
Controlling Party:
n/a
Mayor:
Mr MB Khumalo (IFP)
Deputy Mayor:
Mr Siyabonga Mbatha (IFP)
Speaker:
Ms Daphne Thembile Memela (IFP)
Chief Whip:
n/a
Other Council:
ISM Hadebe
SA Mncwango
RM Zulu
Municipal Manager:
Mr Ntokozo Hlongwa
Chief Financial Officer:
Ms Sthembile Msibi
Senior Management:
Mrs Sindi Linda (Departmental Head: Corporate Services)
Mr SP Mosia (Chief Operating Officer)
Mr Thokozani Soko (Departmental Head: Planning Services)
Communications Officers:
ZD Mthethwa (Communication Manager)
Demographic Information
| 2022 | 2016 | 2011 | |
| Population | 942 794 | 892 310 | 803 575 |
| Age Structure | |||
| Population under 15 | 34.3% | 40.5% | 39.5% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 60.2% | 55.4% | 55.8% |
| Population over 65 | 5.5% | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Dependency Ratio | |||
| Per 100 (15-64) | 66.2 | 80.6 | 79.2 |
| Sex Ratio | |||
| Males per 100 females | 86.3 | 88.6 | 86.3 |
| Population Growth | |||
| Per annum | 1.55% | 2.38% | n/a |
| Labour Market | |||
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 41.1% |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 51.2% |
| Education (aged 20 +) | |||
| No schooling | 12.6% | 12.2% | 19.2% |
| Matric | n/a | 32.4% | 27.4% |
| Higher education | 6.4% | 7.5% | 5.3% |
| Household Dynamics | |||
| Households | 165 617 | 178 516 | 157 748 |
| Average household size | 5.7 | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 53.8% | 54.2% |
| Formal dwellings | 86.7% | 62.1% | 73.1% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 68.5% | 60.6% |
| Household Services | |||
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 36.6% | 18.7% | 23.0% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 38.0% | 22.3% | 22.4% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 35.0% | 14.6% | 22.3% |
| Electricity for lighting | 94.6% | 84.7% | 69.8% |
Financial Results
| All values: R'000 | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
| AUDIT OUTCOME | n/a | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified | Financially unqualified |
| FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE | |||||
| Property rates | - | - | - | - | - |
| Service charges | 73 543 | 74 901 | 54 001 | 50 999 | 52 765 |
| Investment revenue | 8 129 | 15 458 | 7 433 | 3 705 | 3 226 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 680 583 | 746 444 | 658 830 | 537 979 | 577 833 |
| Other own revenue | 5 810 | 9 969 | 10 521 | 1 817 | 28 599 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 768 065 | 846 773 | 730 785 | 594 501 | 662 422 |
| Employee costs | 343 349 | 315 068 | 286 293 | 263 669 | 241 953 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 10 539 | 10 362 | 9 276 | 8 616 | 8 489 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 120 749 | 114 269 | 100 254 | 101 119 | 84 156 |
| Finance charges | 18 091 | 8 113 | 553 | 399 | - |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 57 950 | 45 332 | 51 978 | 22 023 | 34 835 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 9 064 | 3 534 | 4 683 | 11 295 | 12 891 |
| Other expenditure | 645 779 | 658 490 | 568 547 | 471 845 | 423 709 |
| Total Expenditure | 1 205 521 | 1 155 168 | 1 021 583 | 878 966 | 806 034 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | (437 456) | (308 396) | (290 798) | (284 466) | (143 612) |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 851 477 | 768 386 | 610 502 | 611 248 | 446 737 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | 8 | 9 | - | 24 307 | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | 414 029 | 460 000 | 319 704 | 351 089 | 303 125 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 414 029 | 460 000 | 319 704 | 351 089 | 303 125 |
| CAPITAL EXPENDITURE & FUNDS SOURCES | |||||
| Capital expenditure | 781 494 | 662 543 | 498 342 | 484 853 | 341 658 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 732 522 | 660 294 | 492 948 | 471 110 | 337 040 |
| Borrowing | 48 200 | - | 191 | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 772 | 1 963 | 5 203 | 13 258 | 4 617 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 781 494 | 662 257 | 498 342 | 484 367 | 341 658 |
| FINANCIAL POSITION | |||||
| Total current assets | 169 179 | 199 465 | 151 903 | 137 483 | 112 550 |
| Total non current assets | 6 107 453 | 5 529 332 | 5 000 233 | 4 601 310 | 4 189 098 |
| Total current liabilities | 811 894 | 564 126 | 509 937 | 355 836 | 261 107 |
| Total non current liabilities | 126 218 | 128 414 | 45 231 | 42 112 | 33 042 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 5 644 524 | 5 047 151 | 4 597 982 | 4 340 844 | 3 733 949 |
| CASH FLOWS | |||||
| Net cash from (used) operating | 2 817 051 | 2 937 644 | 1 831 000 | 434 211 | 725 587 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | (780 983) | (661 863) | (496 567) | (484 853) | (341 658) |
| Net cash from (used) financing | (18 304) | 89 484 | (1 533) | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 2 074 834 | 2 392 692 | 1 353 367 | (30 583) | 396 220 |
| UNAUTHORISED, IRREGULAR, FRUITLESS & WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE | |||||
| Unauthorised expenditure | n/a | 233 746 | 233 980 | 127 448 | 127 661 |
| Irregular expenditure | n/a | 159 294 | 94 844 | 58 990 | 17 918 |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | n/a | 3 248 | 1 047 | 304 | 363 |
| SOURCE | Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1 | Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1 | Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1 | Audited Outcome A1 2024 | Audited Outcome A1 2023 |
Employment Statistics
| 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | |
| Employment | |||||
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 286 293 | 263 669 | 241 953 | 219 973 | 201 677 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 9 276 | 8 616 | 8 489 | 8 372 | 8 089 |
| Total Employee Positions | 1 266 | 642 | 570 | 1 093 | 1 111 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 44 | 61 | 13 | 0 | 61 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 3.48% | 9.50% | 2.28% | 0.00% | 5.49% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 47 | 29 | 29 | 19 | 22 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 13 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Service Delivery Statistics
| 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | |
| Water | |||||
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 242 422 | 208 357 | 204 959 | 183 642 | 141 012 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 237 501 | 203 436 | 200 136 | 183 642 | 139 888 |
| Inside the yard | 159 995 | 146 145 | 146 145 | 146 145 | 99 987 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 59 999 | 39 784 | 38 984 | 37 497 | 39 901 |
| More than 200m from yard | 17 507 | 17 507 | 15 007 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 92 | 125 | 397 | 99 987 | 99 987 |
| Electricity | |||||
| 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 |
| Sewerage and Sanitation | |||||
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 213 896 | 170 345 | 169 735 | 155 056 | 155 056 |
| Number of households using: | |||||
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 31 555 | 30 258 | 30 258 | 30 258 | 30 258 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 2 611 | 2 611 | 2 601 | 2 611 | 2 611 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 174 866 | 132 612 | 132 512 | 122 187 | 122 187 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 92 | 125 | 397 | 25 981 | 25 881 |
| Solid Waste Services | |||||
| 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 |