Local municipality · KwaZulu-Natal

Umzimkhulu

43councillors in office

22wards

ANClargest party, 2026 · 21 of 43 seats

Hands over · first council sitting

Council now, and the council coming in

43 seats now · 43 in the incoming council. Majority is 22. No party reaches it on the declared result: a coalition will be needed.

PartySeats · now, then incomingChange

ANC

33 → 21 (-12)

0 → 15 (+15)

EFF

6 → 2 (-4)

IFP

1 → 2 (+1)

SACP

0 → 2 (+2)

1 → 1

AIC

1 → 0 (-1)

IND

1 → 0 (-1)

now, 2021 termincoming, 2026│ majority line

Ward councillors

22 wards

PR councillors now

21 seats

Proportional seats as elected in 2021. Parties replace PR councillors mid-term without the IEC publishing it; replacements are recorded as events where a source exists.

PR councillors from 2026 · expected

6 of 21 named

21 proportional seats in the council elected on 4 November 2026. 6 named so far; the rest follow when the IEC publishes its councillor list. Expected from the IEC certified party lists and the declared seat allocation (list order, skipping ward winners). Confirmed when the IEC publishes its councillor list.

How Umzimkhulu measures up

How we judge

Umzimkhulu meets 1 of 6 yardsticks

Judged against National Treasury's and the Auditor-General's own norms, latest figures, 2023/24. Not a rating: 6 separate answers. How we judge.

Clean books?

Short of it

Findings

An unqualified audit with no findings

Umzimkhulu's books were unqualified, but the Auditor-General raised findings.

Umzimkhulu could keep running for 12.5 months on the cash it holds. Treasury asks for three.

best in KwaZulu-Natal11 of 44worst

2024/25 · was 10.9 months↗ improving

Collects what it bills?

Well short

42%

norm 95%

For every R100 Umzimkhulu bills, it collects R42. Treasury expects R95.

best in KwaZulu-Natal24 of 43worst

2024/25 · was 34%↗ improving

Looks after what it owns?

Well short

0.9%

norm 8.0%

Umzimkhulu spends 0.9% of what its roads, pipes and buildings are worth on repairs. Treasury's norm is 8%.

best in KwaZulu-Natal33 of 37worst

2024/25 · was 2.1%↘ slipping

Spends the building budget?

Well short

+98%

norm 0%

Umzimkhulu overspent its building budget by 98%.

best in KwaZulu-Natal19 of 44worst

2023/24 · was +10%↘ slipping

1.2% of Umzimkhulu's spending was unauthorised, irregular, fruitless or wasteful. Treasury's target is none.

best in KwaZulu-Natal10 of 44worst

2023/24 · was 6.1%↗ improving

Treasury and Auditor-General detail

by financial year

For the whole 2021 to 2026 term, including every seat that changed hands, see the end-of-term report.

Audit outcome · Auditor-General, by financial year

2021/22Emphasis of Matter 2022/23Emphasis of Matter 2023/24Emphasis of Matter

Cash coverage

12.5 mo2024/25

province median 7.7 mo · Treasury: good

Debtor collection

41.5%2024/25

province median 36.3% · Treasury: bad

Repairs and maintenance

0.9%2024/25

province median 2.4% · Treasury: bad

Capital budget spent

97.5%2023/24

province median 127.6% · Treasury: bad

Wasteful expenditure

1.2%2023/24

province median 13.5% · Treasury: bad

Current ratio

4.222024/25

province median 1.70 · Treasury: good

The council's record, not any councillor's. Source: National Treasury Municipal Money and Auditor-General reports, fetched 11 Nov 2026. Financial years end in June.

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