Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Chief Albert Luthuli come from
Every fact on the Chief Albert Luthuli page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
Back to the Chief Albert Luthuli page
Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
On the council's website, no date shown: Mbuso Petros Magubane is executive mayor. The municipality's biography says he took office in July 2024 after he filled an empty PR seat. A PR seat is a seat a party gets from its list, to match its share of the votes. It also says he is an ANC branch secretary.
Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: biography, paragraphs on political roles and 'assumed the office of Executive Mayor in July 2024' (undated, read 2026-10-18)
As of 16 Oct 2026: Mbuso P. Magubane is executive mayor.
Mpumalanga Provincial Government. Page is undated.
Where to look: Municipalities table (page 2 of 3), row 'Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality', column 'Executive mayor'. The table is undated (footer 'Copyright 2026'); it names mayors elected in late 2024, so it was updated no earlier than Nov 2024. Read 2026-10-16. Party not shown.
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 49 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 1 of 2, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 38 (25 ward, 13 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 8 (0 ward, 8 party). African People's Convention: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Democratic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Inkatha Freedom Party: 1 (0 ward, 1 party).
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: winning party per ward for every by-election since 2021 (dashboard data files: MapsJason/2021/ByElections.js and LoadCouncillorsService); read 2026-10-18
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: ward councillor rows for this council (party per ward elected in 2021)
The seats now
Who holds the 49 seats now, counted up to 24 Jun 2026. How we count: This is our own count, not an official IEC table. We start with the 2021 party seats from the IEC. Then we add the party that last won each ward, in 2021 or in a by-election. Party seats stay with their party, and councillors can't switch parties. So only ward by-elections change these totals. An empty seat is counted with the party that last held it. The IEC lists by-elections on 5 Oct 2022, but it does not show who won them. So any ward that changed hands that day is not counted.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: winning party per ward for every by-election since 2021 (dashboard data files: MapsJason/2021/ByElections.js and LoadCouncillorsService); read 2026-10-18
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: ward councillor rows for this council (party per ward elected in 2021)
What the official records say
Audit result
The Auditor-General gave Chief Albert Luthuli an unqualified audit opinion with findings for 2024-25. That is better than in 2023-24, when it got a qualified opinion.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: 'Audit outcome for 2024-25' box and the change from 2023-24 under it (audit of separate financial statements, finalised by 30 April 2026)
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