Matatiele Local Municipality has earned a place among South Africa’s better-performing municipalities, ranking 15th nationally in the 2026 FW de Klerk Foundation Local Government Report Card.
The achievement puts Matatiele in the national spotlight, with the municipality being one of just four from the Eastern Cape to feature in the top 15.
The recognition comes against the backdrop of what the municipality describes as a challenging year and is based primarily on its performance during the 2024/25 audited period.
The report measures municipalities across several critical areas, including governance, integrity and inclusion, service delivery and infrastructure, and financial management.
Matatiele’s financial performance stands out in the assessment, with the municipality recording approximately R398 million in current assets, R157.6 million in current liabilities and R269.9 million in cash. It also recorded a year-end surplus of about R74.3 million.
Mayor Patrick Stuurman said the municipality welcomed the assessment as an opportunity to measure its progress while identifying areas where more work is needed.
He said Council would continue prioritising the needs of residents, with a focus on improving basic services and strengthening municipal systems.
Among the municipality’s priorities are rural roads, electrification, refuse removal, infrastructure development, sound financial management, good governance, social programmes and assistance for indigent households.
Stuurman said the national ranking should serve as motivation rather than a reason to slow down.
“While recognising the significance of the 15th national ranking, the Municipality views the achievement not as an endpoint, but as a platform to build on progress, address identified gaps, and strengthen its commitment to quality service delivery,” he said.
No tags for this post.
