Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Letsemeng come from
Every fact on the Letsemeng 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 4 Aug 2026: OFM named Andrew Visagie as mayor of Letsemeng. This was when the council's new leaders reported to the Free State Legislature. The acting municipal manager is the council's top official, for now. The manager said the council decided in June 2026 to look into a crash. The crash involved the former speaker's official vehicle.
OFM. Published 4 August 2026.
Where to look: photo caption and paragraphs 1-3
As of 21 May 2026: Letsemeng was among the councils whose mayor, speaker and chief whip the ANC provincial leadership told to step down. The ANC national working committee backed the changes.
OFM. Published 21 May 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 2-4
As of 1 Nov 2025: R Bonolo Mocwaledi was mayor of Letsemeng Local Municipality in November 2025. The speaker was Xolani H Mthukwane.
Free State COGTA. Page is undated.
Where to look: Letsemeng (FS 161) row: Mayor/Executive Mayor 'R Bonolo Mocwaledi', Speaker 'Xolani H Mthukwane'; header 'NOVEMBER 2025' (no day given)
As of 22 Aug 2025: In August 2025 the ANC in the Free State spoke about these councils. It said it would redeploy their mayors, speakers and chief whips. To redeploy is to move someone to a different post. A chief whip is the councillor who keeps a party's members voting together. The councils are Mafube, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Nketoana, Nala, Masilonyana and Lejweleputswa.
IOL. Published 22 August 2025.
Where to look: paragraph 1
As of 9 Nov 2021: Reamogetse Bonolo Mocwaledi was elected to the Letsemeng council as an ANC councillor in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS161 - Letsemeng, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, PR(2), MOCWALEDI REAMOGETSE BONOLO INGRID
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 13 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 2 of 2, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 9 (7 ward, 2 party). Democratic Alliance: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 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 13 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 Letsemeng 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)
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Letsemeng in 2024-25, for the 10th 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, 'Letsemeng LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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