Municipalities

Amathole District Municipality (DC12)

Metropolitan, district, and local municipalities across South Africa.

Overview Map Management Demographic Financial Employment Services Resources

Overview

Amathole District Municipality (DC12) is a district authority that supports regional planning and service delivery coordination across its constituent local municipalities. It contributes to integrated development planning, infrastructure coordination, and programmes that benefit from district-level scale and shared capacity. This profile summarises the municipality’s governance context and provides a public reference point for key details.

Geography, History & Economy

Amathole District Municipality comprises:

Amahlathi Local Municipality
Great Kei Local Municipality
Mbhashe Local Municipality
Mnquma Local Municipality
Ngqushwa Local Municipality
Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality

MDB code: DC12

Description: The Amathole District Municipality is a Category C municipality situated in the central part of the Eastern Cape. It stretches along the Sunshine Coast from the Fish River Mouth and along the Eastern Seaboard to just south of Hole in the Wall along the Wild Coast. It is bordered to the north by the Amathole Mountain Range. The municipality is comprised of six local municipalities: Mbhashe, Mnquma, Great Kei, Amahlathi, Ngqushwa and Raymond Mhlaba. Four heritage routes have been developed that are named after Xhosa kings and heroes. They are the Maqoma Route, the Makana Route, the Sandile Route and the Phalo Route. These intertwine with the other tourism routes located within the district, namely the Sunshine Coast Route, the Wild Coast Route, the Amathole Mountain Escape Route and the Friendly N6 Route.

Area: 21 114km²

Cities/Towns: Adelaide, Alice, Amatola Coastal, Bedford, Butterworth, Cathcart, Dutywa, Elliotdale, Hamburg, Hogsback, Kei Mouth, Kei Road, Keiskammahoek, Kentani, Komga, KwaMaqoma (Fort Beaufort), Middeldrift, Morgan Bay, Ngqamakhwe, Peddie, Seymore, Stutterheim, Tshoxa, Willowvale

Main Economic Sectors: Agriculture, tourism and heritage, rural development, poverty alleviation, enterprise development, environmental management, mining - Source IDP 2023/24

Map

Council & Management

Composition of Council:

ANC 14, EFF 2, ATM 1, DA 1, UDM 1 (40% PR Seats)

Controlling Party:

ANC

Mayor:

Anele Ntsangani (ANC)

Speaker:

Onke Mgunculu (ANC)

Chief Whip:

Nanziwe Rulashe

Other Council:

Celiwe Genyane (MMC: Legislative and Executive Support)

Nomonde Geza (MMC: Engineering and Infrastructure Services)

Bandile Ketelo (MMC: Strategic Planning and Management)

Bukelwa Madikane (MMC: Corporate and Human Resource Management)

Khanyile Maneli (MMC: Community Services)

Xhanti Mngxaso (MMC: Spatial Planning and Economic Development)

Fumanekile Phumaphi (MMC: Budget and Treasury)

Municipal Manager:

Dr Bhekisisa Mthembu

Chief Financial Officer:

Mr Ncecile Zengethwa

Senior Management:

Dr Vuyokazi Dlelaphantsi (Director: Corporate Services)

Dr Makhosandile Kwaza (Chief Audit Executive)

Ms Nokuthula Mgijima-Zondani (Director: Community Services)

Ms Nombasa Msebi (Director: Engineering Services)

Mr Luyanda Sovasi (Director: Strategic and Planning Management)

Mr Zolile Vumazonke (Senior Legal Practioner)

Ms Zolisa Cynthia Xabadiya (Director: Land, Human Settlements and Economic Development)

Communications Officers:

Ms Sisa Msiwa (Acting Senior Manager: Communications and Customer Care)

Demographic Information

	2022	2016	2011
Population	871 601	880 790	854 967
Age Structure
Population under 15	29.3%	32.7%	33.5%
Population 15 to 64	60.4%	61.6%	57.6%
Population over 65	10.4%	5.7%	8.9%
Dependency Ratio
Per 100 (15-64)	65.7	62.4	73.6
Sex Ratio
Males per 100 females	90.9	89.6	88.5
Population Growth
Per annum	0.19%	0.65%	n/a
Labour Market
Unemployment rate (official)	n/a	n/a	n/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34	n/a	n/a	n/a
Education (aged 20 +)
No schooling	9.2%	10.2%	13.6%
Matric	n/a	19.0%	13.2%
Higher education	7.2%	5.7%	6.1%
Household Dynamics
Households	241 612	213 763	227 572
Average household size	3.6	4.1	3.8
Female headed households	n/a	52.2%	53.0%
Formal dwellings	81.1%	55.9%	52.7%
Housing owned	n/a	71.2%	67.8%
Household Services
Flush toilet connected to sewerage	40.1%	17.0%	18.1%
Weekly refuse removal	35.4%	17.4%	16.5%
Piped water inside dwelling	34.6%	12.3%	12.6%
Electricity for lighting	94.5%	82.4%	69.8%

Financial Results

All values: R'000	2024/25	2023/24	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21
AUDIT OUTCOME	n/a	Qualified audit	Disclaimer of audit	Disclaimer of audit	Adverse audit
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Property rates	-	-	-	-	-
Service charges	691 561	(113 992)	483 170	525 698	416 669
Investment revenue	37 834	8 440	24 834	12 795	9 447
Transfers recognised - operational	664 242	(104 685)	997 918	730 617	973 614
Other own revenue	664 648	10 569	69 144	504 130	120 908
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)	2 058 285	(199 669)	1 575 066	1 773 240	1 520 638
Employee costs	659 034	25 084	659 221	679 639	726 734
Remuneration of councillors	17 401	2 976	14 367	14 716	16 234
Depreciation and amortisation	282 773	260 327	8 064	95 396	180 485
Finance charges	36 340	21 046	21 837	15 721	7 400
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases	444 238	166 108	42 809	59 778	(174 896)
Transfers and subsidies	15 498	145	10 000	9 946	15 600
Other expenditure	722 446	320 328	677 904	769 192	1 073 813
Total Expenditure	2 177 731	796 015	1 434 201	1 644 388	1 845 369
Surplus/(Deficit)	(119 446)	(995 684)	140 864	128 852	(324 731)
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)	651 278	154 928	189 283	332 765	492 618
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)	-	-	-	-	-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions	531 831	(840 756)	330 147	461 617	167 887
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate	-	-	-	-	-
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year	531 831	(840 756)	330 147	461 617	167 887
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE & FUNDS SOURCES
Capital expenditure	381 432	11 028 900	180 465	245 141	224 476
Transfers recognised - capital	353 325	(3 972 028)	121 064	252 764	(153 024)
Borrowing	-	-	-	-	-
Internally generated funds	-	-	-	-	-
Total sources of capital funds	353 325	(3 972 028)	121 064	252 764	(153 024)
FINANCIAL POSITION
Total current assets	1 504 299	304 960	884 499	820 799	765 809
Total non current assets	10 292 899	9 901 921	5 207 864	4 516 379	4 597 400
Total current liabilities	1 122 239	1 163 933	1 105 865	4 728 431	902 777
Total non current liabilities	200 923	201 094	181 530	144 554	176 923
Community wealth/Equity	9 942 205	9 682 611	4 474 821	2 577	4 115 622
CASH FLOWS
Net cash from (used) operating	5 044 124	267 169	1 477 360	344 903	356 055
Net cash from (used) investing	-	-	-	-	0
Net cash from (used) financing	-	-	-	-	(136)
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end	5 271 785	663 441	1 703 239	435 734	550 089
UNAUTHORISED, IRREGULAR, FRUITLESS & WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE
Unauthorised expenditure	n/a	188 649	36 796	69 438	-
Irregular expenditure	n/a	639 289	223 054	46 749	39 233
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure	n/a	28 182	21 699	61 394	6 960
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)	659 221	679 639	726 734	734 907	628 296
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)	14 367	14 716	16 234	15 015	15 242

Total Employee Positions	2 298	1 536	3 107	2 299	1 605
Total Vacant Employee Positions	916	123	876	781	344
Total Vacancy Percentage	39.86%	8.01%	28.19%	33.97%	21.43%

Managerial Positions – S54A and S56	7	7	8	8	7
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56	3	2	2	1	2
Managerial Positions - by organogram	226	226	237	237	156
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram	104	121	89	89	20

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	282 322	282 322	327 463	245 003	245 003
Number of domestic households/delivery points	281 486	281 486	326 627	244 167	244 167
Inside the yard	56 289	56 289	54 305	36 069	36 069
Less than 200m from yard	184 646	184 646	184 646	202 100	202 100
More than 200m from yard	40 551	40 551	87 676	5 998	5 998
Domestic households with access to free basic service	1 597	1 613	1 613	1 613	34 617
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	311 181	308 707	229 689	229 689	192 516
Number of households using:
Flush toilet - public sewerage	42 762	42 762	23 882	23 882	23 882
Flush toilet - septic tank	0	0	0	0	0
Ventilated pit latrine	267 583	265 109	204 971	204 971	167 699
Bucket system	0	0	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0	0	0
Domestic households with access to free basic service	1 597	1 613	1 613	1 613	34 617
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