Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Hessequa come from
Every fact on the Hessequa 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 11 Aug 2026: Grant Riddles (DA) is the executive mayor of Hessequa (a mayor who makes many of the council's decisions). Riddles was re-elected in 2021. Gerald Boezak (DA) is deputy mayor, and Tinus van den Berg (DA) is speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings). The council lists DA 9, ANC 6, VF Plus 1 and PA 1.
Hessequa Municipality. Published 11 August 2026.
Where to look: 'Council' page, key officials and councillor lists (page last modified 11 August 2026)
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 17 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). Democratic Alliance: 9 (6 ward, 3 party). African National Congress: 6 (3 ward, 3 party). Patriotic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Freedom Front Plus: 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 17 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 Hessequa a clean audit (unqualified with no 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)
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