Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Stellenbosch come from
Every fact on the Stellenbosch 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 6 Aug 2026: On 5 August 2026 the council held a special meeting. There, Dr Rudi Buys was elected deputy executive mayor. No one else stood for the post. Executive mayor Jeremy Fasser welcomed Buys.
Cape Argus. Published 6 August 2026.
Where to look: photo caption, paragraph 1 and paragraph beginning 'Executive mayor Jeremy Fasser welcomed Dr Buys'
As of 30 Apr 2026: The PA won Cloetesville ward 15 from the DA in April 2026. After that, the DA has 27 of the 45 council seats.
Daily Maverick. Published 30 April 2026.
Where to look: Stellenbosch Ward 15 section, paragraph beginning 'Turnout was also higher here' ('The DA fall from 28 to 27 seats in the 45-seat council')
As of 21 Apr 2026: IOL reported in April 2026 that Stellenbosch is one of 11 municipalities 'currently under' DA governance. The DA named Jeremy Fasser as its Stellenbosch mayoral candidate.
Cape Argus. Published 21 April 2026.
Where to look: DA section (paragraphs 12-13): 'named candidates for 11 municipalities, all currently under its governance', followed by the list
As of 29 Nov 2024: The DA's Jeremy Fasser was elected executive mayor of Stellenbosch at a special council sitting. Fasser succeeded Gesie van Deventer, who retired.
News24. Published 29 November 2024.
Where to look: headline and paragraphs 1-4
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 45 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 3 of 4, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). Democratic Alliance: 27 (18 ward, 9 party). African National Congress: 8 (4 ward, 4 party). GOOD: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 2 (0 ward, 2 party). Patriotic Alliance: 2 (1 ward, 1 party). African Christian Democratic Party: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). People's Democratic Movement: 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 45 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 Stellenbosch 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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