Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Okhahlamba come from
Every fact on the Okhahlamba 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 introduces 'His Worship, Cllr. V.R Mlotshwa, The Mayor of Okhahlamba Local Municipality'.
Okhahlamba Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: undated, read 2026-10-18 (site menu lists the Mid-Year Report 2025/26); 'Meet His Worship, The Mayor' section, signature line
On the council's website, no date shown: Vikizitha Richard Mlotshwa is mayor of Okhahlamba and Nothile Ernel Tshabalala is deputy mayor, according to National Treasury's list of municipal officials.
National Treasury. Page is undated.
Where to look: undated, read 2026-10-18; rows 'Mayor/Executive Mayor' and 'Deputy Mayor/Executive Mayor' (parties not shown)
As of 30 Aug 2024: Cllr V.R. Mlotshwa was mayor and Cllr N.E. Shabalala was deputy mayor, the audited 2023/24 annual financial statements say. Cllr S.Z. Khumalo was speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings).
National Treasury. Published 30 August 2024.
Where to look: General Information section (parties not shown)
As of 31 Mar 2022: Mayor Vikizitha Mlotshwa, leader of the African People's Movement, known as APEMO, survived a bid to remove him. APEMO (6 seats) governs together with the ANC (8 seats).
Sunday World. Published 31 March 2022.
Where to look: paragraphs 1, 6 and 7
As of 9 Nov 2021: In 2021 Vikizitha Richard Mlotshwa was elected in Okhahlamba for the African People's Movement. This party is known as APEMO. Mlotshwa was a PR councillor. This is a seat from the party's list, to match its share of the votes. Nothile Ernel Tshabalala was elected as an ANC PR councillor.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: KZN235 - Okhahlamba: AFRICAN PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT PR(1) MLOTSHWA VIKIZITHA RICHARD; AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS PR(1) TSHABALALA NOTHILE ERNEL
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 29 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 3 of 3, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). Inkatha Freedom Party: 9 (8 ward, 1 party). African National Congress: 8 (3 ward, 5 party). African People's Movement: 6 (3 ward, 3 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). National Freedom Party: 2 (1 ward, 1 party). Democratic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). National Peoples Ambassadors: 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 29 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 Okhahlamba 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)
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Okhahlamba 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', KwaZulu-Natal, 'Okhahlamba LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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