Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Nala come from
Every fact on the Nala 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 22 Oct 2025: The Free State provincial executive placed Nala under a Section 139(1)(b) intervention on 30 April 2025. No party won more than half of the 24 seats. The council is run by a coalition led by the ANC, with the Nala Community Forum.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 22 October 2025.
Where to look: sections 5.7 (139(1)(b) invoked 30 April 2025), 6.1 (hung, 24 seats), 10.3 ('ANC-led coalition'), 12.10 (coalition partner NCF), 5.10 (Mayor Cllr NM Mashiya suspended)
As of 16 Oct 2025: In October 2025 the province told Parliament about an extension of the Section 139(1)(b) intervention in Nala.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 16 October 2025.
Where to look: paragraph 2 ('the extension of the Section 139(1)(b) intervention')
As of 11 Sep 2025: The ANC won 12 of Nala's 24 seats in 2021. It was still able to elect its candidates for mayor and speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings). It held Ward 7 in a September 2025 by-election (a vote to fill one empty ward seat).
Daily Maverick. Published 11 September 2025.
Where to look: Free State section, Ward 7 (Kgotsong Bothaville) Nala: '2021 local government election' and 'by-election' subsections
As of 9 Apr 2025: Nala mayor Nozililo Mashiya was suspended during a council meeting on 8 April 2025. The municipal manager (the council's top official) and the chief financial officer were suspended at the same meeting.
OFM. Published 9 April 2025.
Where to look: paragraphs 2 and 7
As of 9 Nov 2021: Martha Nozililo Ntema was elected to the Nala council as an ANC councillor in 2021. Ntema was first on the ANC list.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS185 - Nala, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, PR(1), NTEMA MARTHA NOZILILO
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 24 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: 12 (11 ward, 1 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 6 (0 ward, 6 party). Democratic Alliance: 2 (1 ward, 1 party). Nala Community Forum: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). Freedom Front Plus: 2 (0 ward, 2 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 24 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 Nala'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)
Government stepped in
In July 2026, the Minister of Cooperative Governance told Parliament that the intervention at Nala is ongoing. It began in May 2025, under section 139(1)(b) of the Constitution.
Department of Cooperative Governance. Published 3 July 2026.
Where to look: reply (a), table of municipalities under intervention, 'Nala LM' row: type of intervention, date instituted, status Ongoing
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