Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Kopanong come from
Every fact on the Kopanong 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 1 Nov 2025: Xolane Johny Tseletsele was mayor of Kopanong Local Municipality in November 2025. The speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings) was Morekiemang Jerry Moitse.
Free State COGTA. Page is undated.
Where to look: Kopanong (FS 162) row: Mayor/Executive Mayor 'Xolane Johny Tseletsele', Speaker 'Morekiemang Jerry Moitse'; header 'NOVEMBER 2025' (no day given)
As of 8 Apr 2025: On 17 May 2023, the Free State Executive Council used Section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution in Kopanong. It used it together with section 63 of the Water Services Act. On 5 February 2025, it seconded a new Exco lead to make the intervention stronger. Seconded means sent to work there for a while. The mayor told the committee that the municipality was under Section 139(1)(b) and Section 154 intervention.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 8 April 2025.
Where to look: paragraphs 4.1, 4.3 and 5.2 (oversight visit of 20 March 2025)
As of 9 Nov 2021: Xolani Johny Tseletsele was elected to the Kopanong council in 2021. Tseletsele was the ANC ward councillor for ward 6.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS162 - Kopanong, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, ward 41602006, TSELETSELE XOLANI JOHNY
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 (table sits between the 'Page 1 of 2' and 'Page 2 of 2' markers), seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 11 (9 ward, 2 party). Democratic Alliance: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 2 (0 ward, 2 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 Kopanong a qualified audit opinion 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)
Government stepped in
In July 2026, the Minister of Cooperative Governance told Parliament that the intervention at Kopanong is ongoing. It began in September 2023, under section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution, together with section 63 of the Water Services Act.
Department of Cooperative Governance. Published 3 July 2026.
Where to look: reply (a), table of municipalities under intervention, 'Kopanong LM' row: type of intervention, date instituted, status Ongoing
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Kopanong in 2024-25, for the 16th 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', Free State, 'Kopanong LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
Nothing matches. Try another word.