Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Maluti a Phofung come from
Every fact on the Maluti a Phofung page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
Back to the Maluti a Phofung page
Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
As of 5 Aug 2026: Tumelo Thebe is mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung.
Daily Sun. Published 5 August 2026.
Where to look: body: 'Maluti-a-Phofung Mayor Tumelo Thebe said the municipality is cleaning up its indigent register'
As of 30 May 2026: Tumelo Thebe was serving as mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung in May 2026.
Daily Sun. Published 30 May 2026.
Where to look: opening paragraph: 'Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality Mayor Tumelo Thebe visited...'
As of 15 Apr 2026: Tumelo Thebe was elected mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung on 14 April 2026. Thebe is a former speaker. Thebe got 35 votes. Paratlane Motloung got 25. Before the vote, councillors passed a motion of no confidence in Malekula Melato. Melato is a former mayor.
OFM. Published 15 April 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-3; Thebe's party is not stated
As of 8 Apr 2026: In April 2026 the municipal manager did not recognise Motloung's election as mayor. The High Court turned down his application. The council has 70 councillors.
Mail & Guardian. Published 8 April 2026.
Where to look: body paragraphs 10 ('made up of 70 councillors'), 12-14 (Motloung elected by remaining councillors; municipal manager distanced the municipality; application 'dismissed with costs')
As of 27 Mar 2026: Malekula Melato (ANC) was removed as mayor in a motion of no confidence in March 2026. MAP16 councillor Paratlane Motloung was then elected mayor. The councillors who stayed after the ANC walked out elected Motloung.
Mail & Guardian. Published 27 March 2026.
Where to look: body paragraph 9 (Melato 'ousted in a chaotic motion of no confidence'; Motloung 'of the MAP16 Civic Movement was elected as the new mayor'); paragraph 24 ('an ANC mayor')
As of 26 Mar 2026: Malekula Melato, the ANC mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung, lost an urgent application to the High Court to stop a motion of no confidence. The motion was brought by SARKO and supported by the EFF.
Sunday World. Published 26 March 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-3
As of 23 Nov 2021: Gilbert Mokotso, leader of MAP16, was elected mayor of Maluti-a-Phofung with 33 votes at the first council meeting. The council is run by a coalition of more than four parties. The ANC is not in it.
OFM. Published 23 November 2021.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-3
As of 9 Nov 2021: Tumelo Thebe was elected to the Maluti-a-Phofung council as an ANC councillor in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS194 - Maluti a Phofung, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, PR(7), THEBE TUMELO RAYMOND
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 70 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 3 of 4, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 28 (21 ward, 7 party). Mapsixteen Civic Movement: 20 (13 ward, 7 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 7 (0 ward, 7 party). Democratic Alliance: 5 (1 ward, 4 party). Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). African Content Movement: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). African Independent Congress: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). African Transformation Movement: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). All Unemployment Labour Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). South African Royal Kingdoms Organization: 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 70 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 had not finished auditing Maluti a Phofung's 2024-25 accounts by the legal deadline.
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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