Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Elundini come from
Every fact on the Elundini page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
As of 18 Jun 2026: A Joe Gqabi District release of 18 June 2026 says Councillor Ruth Lengs resigned from the district council earlier in 2026. This left her standing committee chair post empty.
Joe Gqabi District Municipality. Published 18 June 2026.
Where to look: paragraph 6 ('following the position becoming vacant after the resignation of Cllr Ruth Lengs earlier this year')
As of 27 May 2026: Councillor N.R. Lengs is mayor of Elundini and chairs the executive committee, according to the 2026/27 IDP and budget adopted on 27 May 2026. The executive committee is the group of councillors who help run the council.
Elundini Local Municipality. Published 27 May 2026.
Where to look: p. 142, political governance text ('Mayor, Cllr N.R. Lengs') and Table 31 'Members of the Executive Committee' ('Hon Cllr N.R Lengs, The Mayor and Exco chairperson')
As of 24 Apr 2026: Nonkongozelo Ruth Lengs is mayor of Elundini.
Elundini Local Municipality. Published 24 April 2026.
Where to look: Office of the Mayor page, name heading (post date 2026-04-24)
As of 5 Feb 2026: Councillor Mamello Leteba was mayor of Elundini during 2024/25, according to the municipality's draft 2024/25 annual report. Leteba is an ANC PR councillor. A PR councillor has a seat that the party gets from its list, to match its share of the votes.
Elundini Local Municipality. Published 5 February 2026.
Where to look: p. 29 ('Hon Cllr Mamello P.S.S. Leteba, The Mayor and EXCO Chairperson'); p. 250 Appendix A ('Mamello Leteba, FT, African National Congress'); p. 291 ('Mayor Cllr M. P. S. Leteba'; 'Cllr M.P.S. Leteba - PR (ANC)'). Date = upload date
As of 9 Nov 2021: Nonkongozelo Ruth Lengs was elected to the Joe Gqabi district council on the ANC list in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Eastern Cape, DC14 - Joe Gqabi, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS PR(7), LENGS NONKONGOZELO RUTH, seat type DC 40%
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 34 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: 28 (17 ward, 11 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). African Transformation Movement: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Democratic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). South African Royal Kingdoms Organization: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). United Democratic Movement: 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 34 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 Elundini an unqualified audit opinion with findings for 2024-25. It got the same result in 2023-24.
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)
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Elundini in 2024-25. It did not report one the year before.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: p. 50 (PDF page 54), 'Sixty-two municipalities with going concern uncertainty and consecutive years in this position', Eastern Cape, 'Elundini LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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