Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Kou-Kamma come from
Every fact on the Kou-Kamma 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
On the council's website, no date shown: Brendon Tirone Jantjies is Mayor and a PA PR councillor, according to the municipality's councillors page. Dadley Maasdorp is speaker. A speaker is the councillor who chairs council meetings. Maasdorp is an independent councillor for Ward 3.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: Councillors page, Mayor and Speaker entries (page undated; image uploads dated 2026/06)
As of 2 Sep 2026: Sam Vuso was mayor from 20 August 2024, the 2025/26 draft annual report says. Brendon Jantjies (PA) was nominated as mayor at a council meeting on 29 May 2026, the report adds.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 2 September 2026.
Where to look: PDF p. 31 (printed p. 24), section 2.1 Political governance; the councillor table on PDF p. 33 lists both Vuso and Jantjies as 'Mayor/ PR Councillor'
As of 14 Aug 2026: Koukamma mayor Sam Vuso received two vehicles from the Sarah Baartman District Municipality on 14 August 2026.
Sarah Baartman District Municipality. Published 14 August 2026.
Where to look: news item dated 14 August 2026, paragraph 3 ('Koukamma Local Municipality received two Toyota Hilux vehicles, which were received by Mayor Sam Vuso')
As of 11 Aug 2026: The Sarah Baartman District has a news item dated 11 August 2026. It names Councillor Sam Vuso as mayor of Koukamma Local Municipality. It names Vuso at a housing handover (where new homes were handed over) in Ward 6.
Sarah Baartman District Municipality. Published 11 August 2026.
Where to look: news item dated 11 August 2026, paragraph 1 ('Koukamma Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr Sam Vuso')
As of 7 Aug 2026: A municipal Women's Day message from August 2026 is signed 'From the office of the mayor: SM Vuso'.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 7 August 2026.
Where to look: foot of the image; upload date 7 Aug 2026 from the site's media index
As of 30 Jul 2026: Brendon T Jantjies signed the acting municipal manager's 2026/27 performance agreement as mayor on 30 July 2026.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 30 July 2026.
Where to look: cover page (PDF p. 1) and Section F signature, dated 30/07/2026 (PDF p. 26); scanned PDF
As of 5 Jun 2026: Brendon Tirone Jantjies (PA) is listed as mayor of Kou-Kamma and as a PR councillor. Dadley Maasdorp, an independent for Ward 3, is listed as speaker. Samuel Vuso is listed as an ANC PR councillor.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 5 June 2026.
Where to look: Councillors page, 'Mayor' entry ('brendon tirone jantjies, PR Councillor - pa'), 'Speaker of Council' entry and last entry ('samuel vuso, PR Councillor - anc'); 12 councillors listed. Page last modified 2026-06-05 according to the site's own page index (wp-json), read 2026-10-18
As of 1 May 2026: Councillor Samuel Mpumelelo Vuso wrote a message as Mayor of Koukamma Municipality in the municipality's Voluntary Local Review, dated May 2026. This is a report the municipality chose to write on its own progress.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 1 May 2026.
Where to look: p. 1, mayoral message (document dated May 2026; day not given)
As of 10 Dec 2025: The PA, DA and FF Plus voted out speaker Dudley Maasdorp. Maasdorp is an independent, aligned with the ruling coalition (a group of parties that run the council together) led by the ANC. FF Plus councillor Sharon Ferguson was elected interim speaker. The ANC holds 4 seats, the DA and PA 3 each and the FF Plus 1.
The Herald. Published 10 December 2025.
Where to look: article body (vote at the council meeting of Monday 8 Dec 2025; 'ANC-led ruling coalition'; seat counts)
As of 27 Nov 2025: The PA won Ward 2 from the ANC in a November 2025 by-election. The ANC now has 4 of the 12 seats, the DA 3, the PA 3 and the FF Plus 1. Daily Maverick describes the PA as the kingmaker (the party whose votes decide who runs the council).
Daily Maverick. Published 27 November 2025.
Where to look: section 'Sarah Baartman, Eastern Cape', entry 'Ward 2 (Louterwater Joubertina) Kou-Kamma', 'The by-election' paragraphs
As of 1 Sep 2025: Councillor Mpumelelo Samuel Vuso is mayor of Kou-Kamma, according to the 2024/25 draft annual report.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 1 September 2025.
Where to look: Section 2.1 Political Governance Structure ('Mayor : Cllr. Mpumelelo Samuel Vuso'); foreword signed 'Cllr. M.S. Vuso'
As of 1 Sep 2025: Sam Vuso (ANC) is listed as mayor of Kou-Kamma in the council table of the 2024/25 annual report. Dudley Maasdorp (independent) is listed as speaker.
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality. Published 1 September 2025.
Where to look: PDF p. 36, table of the twelve councillors ('Sam Vuso, Mayor, ANC'; 'Dudley Maasdorp, Speaker, Independent')
As of 14 May 2024: ANC members called for the removal of Kou-Kamma mayor Fuzile Yake (ANC).
The Herald. Published 14 May 2024.
Where to look: standfirst / paragraph 1
As of 9 Nov 2021: Bendim Tirone Jantjies was elected as a Patriotic Alliance PR councillor in Kou-Kamma in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Eastern Cape, EC109 Kou-Kamma, PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE PR(1)
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 12 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: 4 (3 ward, 1 party). Democratic Alliance: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Patriotic Alliance: 3 (2 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 12 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 Kou-Kamma a qualified audit opinion for 2024-25. That is better than in 2023-24, when it got an adverse 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)
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Kou-Kamma in 2024-25, for the 11th 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, 'Kou Kamma LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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