Municipality profile, EC121
Mbhashe
Mbhashe is a local municipality in Eastern Cape. Census 2022 counted 240 020 people in 52 715 households, about 4.6 people per household. That is down 8.3% from 261 670 people in Census 2011. 69.2% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 26.5% had a flush toilet. It has the 8th largest population of the 33 municipalities in Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape. Category B4 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
240 020
Down 8.3% from 261 670 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Census 2011 and Census 2022
| Measure | 2011 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 261 670 | 240 020 | -8.3% |
| Households | 61 893 | 52 715 | -14.8% |
| People per household | 4.2 | 4.6 | +0.4 |
| Males per 100 females | 85.0 | 86.2 | +1.2 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 38.0% | 33.4% | -4.6 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 32.1% | 30.8% | -1.3 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 11.4% | 13.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 30.6% | 69.2% | +38.6 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 2.5% | 0.5% | -2.0 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 17.1% | 29.0% | +11.9 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 4.4% | 26.5% | +22.1 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 44.5% | 1.2% | -43.3 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 36.3% | 59.8% | +23.5 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 3.2% | 26.9% | +23.7 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 98 542 | 74 458 | -24.4% |
Change is SA Data Hub's calculation from the two figures: a percentage change for counts, and the difference in percentage points (pts) for shares. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel; Stats SA leaves out “none”.
The 2011 and 2022 figures cover the same area. Stats SA, Census 2022 Municipal fact sheet (Report no. 03-01-82, revised), page 1: “Census 2011 indicators were generated based on aligned census data to current municipal boundaries (2021)”.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
See how all municipalities changed between Census 2011 and Census 2022
Questions people ask: Which province is a municipality in? · Which municipalities grew fastest between Census 2011 and Census 2022? · How many municipalities are there in South Africa?
People
- Males
- 111 137
- Females
- 128 883
- Males per 100 females
- 86.2
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 74 458
- Aged 0 to 1433.4%
38.0% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3430.8%
32.1% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5922.0%
18.5% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over13.8%
11.4% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Housing
Census 2022 counted 52 715 households, with about 4.6 people in each. In 2011 there were 61 893, with about 4.2 people in each.
- Formal dwelling69.2%
36 476 households
- Informal dwelling0.5%
268 households
- Traditional dwelling29.8%
15 734 households
- Other0.4%
237 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Water, toilets and cooking
- Water from a regional or local scheme29.0%
15 272 households. 17.1% in 2011.
- Flush toilet26.5%
13 944 households. 4.4% in 2011.
- No toilet1.2%
657 households. 44.5% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking59.8%
31 467 households. 36.3% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking26.9%
14 141 households. 3.2% in 2011.
Shares of households. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel. Water from another source includes boreholes, tankers, rivers and springs.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
How it compares
- Population, 2022
- Mbhashe240 020
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape219 097Mbhashe has 9.5% more people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Mbhashe has 17.6% fewer people
- People per household
- Mbhashe4.6
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape3.9Mbhashe has 0.7 more people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Mbhashe has 0.7 more people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Mbhashe69.2%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape82.3%Mbhashe is 13.1 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Mbhashe is 17.8 pts lower
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Mbhashe29.0%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape60.8%Mbhashe is 31.8 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Mbhashe is 45.3 pts lower
- Households with a flush toilet
- Mbhashe26.5%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape52.8%Mbhashe is 26.3 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Mbhashe is 35.5 pts lower
- Electricity for cooking
- Mbhashe59.8%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape63.5%Mbhashe is 3.7 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Mbhashe is 6.2 pts lower
Each average is the simple mean of the municipal figures, so a small municipality counts as much as a large one. Gaps between shares are in percentage points (pts).
- 69.2% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 13.1 pts below the average per municipality in Eastern Cape.
- 26.5% of households had a flush toilet, 26.3 pts below the average per municipality in Eastern Cape.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Similar municipalities
The 4 other municipalities in Eastern Cape whose Census 2022 population is closest to Mbhashe's (240 020). Where two are equally close, the lower municipal code comes first.
Sources
Every 2011 and 2022 figure on this page is from Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43, revised edition, originally released 10 October 2023), which gives Census 2011 figures alongside Census 2022 ones. Tables for Mbhashe: Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. SA Data Hub checked them against the publication on 28 October 2026.
Changes, shares of the total, averages and similar municipalities are SA Data Hub's own calculations from those figures. Corrections are listed on the updates page.