Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Ngwathe come from
Every fact on the Ngwathe 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: Ngwathe's council page names Hon. Victoria de Beer-Mthombeni as executive mayor.
Ngwathe Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: 'Executive Mayor' section; undated (likely not updated since the June 2026 dissolution), read 2026-10-18
As of 5 Aug 2026: On 10 June 2026, the Free State Executive Council made a decision. It would carry out a High Court order to step in at Ngwathe. This is under Section 139(4) and (5). The order includes closing down the council early. It also includes putting in an administrator until a new council is elected. On 23 June 2026, the MEC met the council and explained the order. An MEC is a member of the provincial government. The MEC also introduced Dr S Motingoe as administrator. On 26 June 2026, the Provincial Gazette put the order into force. The Gazette is where the province prints official notices.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 5 August 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 5.5, 5.9-5.12 and 7.4
As of 5 Aug 2026: At the committee's oversight visit on 8 July 2026, party representatives spoke about the council being closed down. It had been closed down for less than two weeks.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 5 August 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 4.1, 10.1, 10.8 and 10.10
As of 10 Jul 2026: Parliament reported that Victoria de Beer-Mthombeni was executive mayor of Ngwathe Local Municipality. Its council was closed down early. De Beer-Mthombeni asked the provincial government to think about other ways to step in. Parliament also reported that the province had appointed Dr Solly Motingoe as administrator.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 10 July 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-2 and 4; dated 10 July 2026 at the end of the article
As of 1 Nov 2025: Victoria de Beer Mthombeni was mayor of Ngwathe Local Municipality in November 2025. The speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings) was NP Mopedi.
Free State COGTA. Page is undated.
Where to look: Ngwathe (FS 203) row: Mayor/Executive Mayor 'Victoria de Beer Mthombeni', Speaker 'NP Mopedi'; header 'NOVEMBER 2025' (no day given)
As of 24 Jul 2025: Parliament listed 'Mayor - Cllr Mthombeni' and 'Speaker - Cllr Mobedi' for Ngwathe Local Municipality. It did this during a joint oversight visit (a visit to check on the council) in July 2025.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 24 July 2025.
Where to look: 'Engagement with Ngwathe Local Municipality' item
As of 9 Nov 2021: Victoria Elisa de Beer was elected to the Ngwathe council as an ANC councillor in 2021. De Beer was first on the ANC list.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS203 - Ngwathe, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, PR(1), DE BEER VICTORIA ELISA
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 37 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 2021 seats, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 21 (18 ward, 3 party). Democratic Alliance: 7 (1 ward, 6 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 5 (0 ward, 5 party). Freedom Front Plus: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Ngwathe Residents Association: 1 (0 ward, 1 party).
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 1 of 2, seat table, Total Party Seats column
What the official records say
Audit result
The Auditor-General gave Ngwathe a qualified 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 Ngwathe in 2024-25. It did not report one the year before.
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', Free State, 'Ngwathe LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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