Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Richmond come from
Every fact on the Richmond 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 home page names 'His Worship the Mayor, Cllr M.K. Ngcongo'.
Richmond Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: undated page, read 2026-10-18; mayor panel; the page lists notices dated April-June 2026
As of 29 Aug 2025: In the financial year to 30 June 2025, Cllr M.K. Ngcongo was executive mayor (a mayor who makes many of the council's decisions). Cllr B. Mbanjwa was deputy mayor, and Cllr K.E. Mkize was speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings).
National Treasury. Published 29 August 2025.
Where to look: General Information, page 1; approved 29 Aug 2025 (page 3); 14 councillors listed (counted), no parties given
As of 18 Nov 2022: Mayor Samora Ndlovu left office in 2022 to become full-time ANC regional secretary for Moses Mabhida. The ANC had not named a replacement or acting mayor by 18 November 2022.
IOL. Published 18 November 2022.
Where to look: paragraphs 2-4
As of 9 Nov 2021: Melikhaya Knowledge Ngcongo was elected as the ANC ward councillor for Richmond Ward 5 in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: KZN227 - Richmond: ANC, ward 52207005, NGCONGO MELIKHAYA KNOWLEDGE
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 14 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 2 of 2, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 8 (5 ward, 3 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). Democratic Alliance: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Inkatha Freedom Party: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). uMkhonto weSizwe Party: 1 (1 ward, 0 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 14 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 Richmond a clean audit (unqualified with no 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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