Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about King Sabata Dalindyebo come from
Every fact on the King Sabata Dalindyebo page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
Back to the King Sabata Dalindyebo page
Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
As of 11 Aug 2026: Councillor M.S. Dudumayo is executive mayor (a mayor who makes many of the council's decisions) of King Sabata Dalindyebo.
King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality. Published 11 August 2026.
Where to look: Office of the Mayor page, name heading (page last modified 2026-08-11); home page 'Honourable Executive Mayor' section
As of 6 Jul 2026: The council elected Councillor Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo as Executive Mayor at a special meeting, the municipality reported. The meeting came after former executive mayor Councillor Nyaniso Nelani resigned. Dudumayo then picked a new mayoral committee. This is the group of councillors the mayor picks to lead council departments.
King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality. Published 6 July 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-2
As of 3 Jul 2026: On 3 July 2026, the King Sabata Dalindyebo council elected Nkosi Mkhanyiseli Dudumayo as mayor. The vote was 30 to 27. The other candidate was ward 8 councillor Makhosandile Majeke. This came after the resignation of mayor Nyaniso Nelani was announced at the same meeting.
Daily Dispatch. Published 3 July 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-2 (elected; 30 votes to Majeke's 27). Nelani's resignation announced by the speaker: same-day report https://www.dailydispatch.co.za/politics/2026-07-03-ksd-set-to-elect-new-mayor-after-nelani-quits/ paragraphs 1-5
As of 24 Jun 2026: Councillor G.N. Nelani signed the foreword of King Sabata Dalindyebo's final draft 2026/27 IDP as executive mayor. An IDP is the council's plan for its work.
King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: p. 13, foreword signature ('CLLR.G.N. NELANI, EXECUTIVEMAYOR'). Date = PDF creation date
As of 9 Nov 2021: Mkhanyiseli Stanely Dudumayo was elected to the King Sabata Dalindyebo council as an ANC PR councillor in 2021. A PR councillor has a seat that the party gets from its list, to match its share of the votes.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Eastern Cape, EC157 - King Sabata Dalindyebo, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS PR(3), DUDUMAYO MKHANYISELI STANELY, seat type LC PR
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 73 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: 48 (36 ward, 12 party). United Democratic Movement: 11 (0 ward, 11 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 5 (0 ward, 5 party). African Transformation Movement: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). African Independent Congress: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Civic Independent: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Democratic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Independent South African National Civic Organisation: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Mthatha Ratepayers and Residents Association: 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 73 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 King Sabata Dalindyebo 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 King Sabata Dalindyebo in 2024-25, for the ninth year in a row.
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, 'King Sabata Dalindyebo LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
Nothing matches. Try another word.