Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Maquassi Hills come from
Every fact on the Maquassi Hills page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
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Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
As of 23 Sep 2026: On 1 July 2026, the North West provincial executive decided to intervene in Maquassi Hills. This means the province steps in. It will do this under section 139(5)(c) of the Constitution. It will use a mandatory (required) financial recovery plan. This is a plan to fix the council's money problems. In September 2026, it introduced Pringle Raedani as Provincial Executive Representative. Raedani's job is to oversee the plan.
SAnews. Published 23 September 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-4
As of 13 Jul 2026: On 17 April 2026, the council removed speaker Sarah Nkatlo by a motion of no confidence (a council vote to remove the mayor or speaker). On 24 April 2026, it installed Tshireletso Malebatsane (EFF) as speaker. In July 2026, the Magistrate's Court in Mahikeng dismissed Nkatlo's bid to get the job back.
The Citizen. Published 13 July 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-4 (removal on 17 April, Malebatsane installed 24 April, court dismissed application)
As of 31 Aug 2025: MA Feliti was executive mayor and SS Nkatlo was speaker, according to the municipality's audited (checked by auditors) 2024/25 financial statements.
Maquassi Hills Local Municipality. Published 31 August 2025.
Where to look: Page 1, General Information (executive mayor, speaker); page 4 approval date 31 August 2025
As of 5 Dec 2024: The DA won Ward 5 (Wolmaransstad Tswelelang) from the ANC in a December 2024 by-election. The council became the ANC (11 seats), the EFF (5), the DA (3) and FF Plus (1). It also had Forum 4 Service Delivery (1) and SA Political Association (1). That is 22 seats in total. No party has won more than half of them.
Daily Maverick. Published 5 December 2024.
Where to look: Maquassi Hills Ward 5 section, paragraphs 8-11
As of 28 Sep 2023: The EFF won Ward 3 (Tswelelang, Wolmaransstad) from the ANC in a September 2023 by-election. A ward is an area that elects one councillor. The council became the ANC (12 seats), the EFF (5), the DA (2) and SA Political Association (1). It also had FF Plus (1) and Forum 4 Service Delivery (1). That is 22 seats in total.
Daily Maverick. Published 28 September 2023.
Where to look: Maquassi Hills Ward 3 section, closing line 'The new Maquassi Hills council composition is ...'
As of 9 Nov 2021: MA Feliti's full name is Mziwandile Abel Feliti. In 2021 Feliti was elected to the Maquassi Hills council. Feliti was elected as an ANC proportional representation councillor. A proportional representation (PR) councillor holds a seat that a party gets from its list. The party gets these seats to match its share of the votes.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: NW404 - Maquassi Hills, African National Congress, PR(2): FELITI MZIWANDILE ABEL
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 22 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: 11 (9 ward, 2 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 5 (1 ward, 4 party). Democratic Alliance: 3 (1 ward, 2 party). Forum 4 Service Delivery: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). South African Political Association: 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 22 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 Maquassi Hills an adverse 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 Maquassi Hills 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', North West, 'Maquassi Hills LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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