Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Newcastle come from
Every fact on the Newcastle 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: Cllr David Xolani Dube is Mayor/Executive Mayor (a mayor who makes many of the council's decisions) of Newcastle, according to National Treasury's municipal officials list. Andile Nkosi is deputy mayor and Cllr S.A. Yende is speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings).
National Treasury. Page is undated.
Where to look: rows 'Mayor/Executive Mayor', 'Deputy Mayor/Executive Mayor' and 'Speaker' (undated, read 2026-10-18)
As of 18 Jul 2024: The IFP won Ward 28, which is Madadeni E, from Team Sugar in July 2024. The seats in the 67-seat council were then IFP 23, ANC 17, EFF 8, Team Sugar 6 and DA 6.
Daily Maverick. Published 18 July 2024.
Where to look: 'Ward 28 (Madadeni E) Newcastle, Amajuba' section, seat allocation line
As of 12 Jul 2024: Xolani Dube, an IFP councillor, is mayor of Newcastle. Dube was appointed KZN SALGA chairperson in July 2024.
EWN. Published 12 July 2024.
Where to look: paragraphs 2, 4 and 5 ('Dube has been an IFP councillor')
As of 14 Mar 2024: The IFP has governed Newcastle through a coalition since the 2021 local election. In March 2024, the IFP won three wards from the ANC. It then became the largest party. A ward is an area with its own councillor. The seat count was IFP 22, ANC 18, EFF 8, Team Sugar 7, DA 5, ActionSA 3, and FF+, NFP, PA and ATM 1 each.
Sowetan. Published 14 March 2024.
Where to look: paragraphs 10-13
As of 14 Mar 2024: After the March 2024 by-elections, the ruling coalition held 38 of the 67 seats.
Daily Maverick. Published 14 March 2024.
Where to look: 'Newcastle, Amajuba' section, Ward 23: 'The ruling coalition has 38 of the 67 seats now'
As of 9 Nov 2021: David Xolani Dube was elected as an IFP ward councillor in Newcastle in 2021. The ward is 52502018.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: KwaZulu-Natal, KZN252 - Newcastle, IFP, ward 52502018, DUBE DAVID XOLANI
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 67 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: pp. 3-4 of 4, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). Inkatha Freedom Party: 23 (11 ward, 12 party). African National Congress: 17 (16 ward, 1 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 8 (0 ward, 8 party). Democratic Alliance: 6 (5 ward, 1 party). Team Sugar South Africa: 6 (1 ward, 5 party). ActionSA: 3 (1 ward, 2 party). African Transformation Movement: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). National Freedom Party: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Patriotic Alliance: 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 67 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 Newcastle an unqualified audit opinion with findings 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)
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