Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Msinga come from
Every fact on the Msinga 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: The municipality's mayor page names His Worship Cllr Dr F.J. Sikhakhane as mayor.
uMsinga Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: 'Meet His Worship' section (undated, read 2026-10-18)
As of 31 Aug 2025: Cllr F.J. Sikhakhane was mayor of Msinga in the financial year to 30 June 2025.
National Treasury. Published 31 August 2025.
Where to look: General Information, page 1 ('Mayor Cllr. FJ SIKHAKHANE'); approved 31 Aug 2025 (page 5). The list holds 43 name entries (P Dladla twice), more than the 41 seats, so it may include replaced councillors; no parties given
As of 31 Jan 2025: The Msinga 2023/24 annual report says that the mayor, Cllr F.J. Sikhakhane, and the deputy mayor are all members of the IFP. It also says the council has councillors from the ANC (11), IFP (27), an independent (1), ABC (1) and EFF (1).
uMsinga Local Municipality. Published 31 January 2025.
Where to look: p. 32, sections 2.2.2.1 (council) and 2.2.2.2 'The Mayor'; councillor list near the end gives 'The Mayor/PR/IFP'
As of 5 Dec 2022: In December 2022 the IFP was reported to have parted ways with mayor Mletheni Ndlovu. A party source said he had been fired. The source also said the party would declare the positions empty and tell the IEC.
Daily News. Published 5 December 2022.
Where to look: paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 (reported as unconfirmed)
As of 18 Oct 2022: The IFP suspended Msinga mayor Mletheni Ndlovu and two councillors in October 2022. It told them to take leave from municipal duties. Deputy mayor Thenjiwe Busisiwe Mbatha was to act as mayor.
Business Day. Published 18 October 2022.
Where to look: paragraphs 1, 2 and 4
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 41 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). Inkatha Freedom Party: 27 (20 ward, 7 party). African National Congress: 11 (0 ward, 11 party). Abantu Batho Congress: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 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 41 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 Msinga an unqualified audit opinion with findings for 2024-25. That is worse than in 2023-24, when it got a clean audit.
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)
Nothing matches. Try another word.