Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Umdoni come from
Every fact on the Umdoni 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: M Cele-Luthuli is listed under 'Mayor' as chairperson of the executive committee on the municipality's Exco page. P Thabethe is listed under 'Deputy Mayor'.
Umdoni Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: 'Mayor' and 'Deputy Mayor' headings (undated page, footer 'Copyright 2026', read 2026-10-16; parties not shown)
On the council's website, no date shown: The council currently has 37 seats, the municipality states. The make-up is ANC 18, DA 6, EFF 5, IFP 5, ABC 1, Al Jama-ah 1 and AM4C 1.
Umdoni Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: 'Council' section: 'Umdoni municipality's current composition of Council is as follows' (undated, read 2026-10-16)
On the council's website, no date shown: Cllr M Cele-Luthuli is the ANC ward councillor for Ward 16, according to the municipality's council page.
Umdoni Local Municipality. Page is undated.
Where to look: undated, read 2026-10-18; ward councillor list, entry 'WARD COUNCILLOR (ANC) Cllr M Cele-Luthuli ... Ward:16'
On the council's website, no date shown: This is from National Treasury's list of municipal officials. It names Mbali Cele-Luthuli as mayor of Umdoni. It names Phila Thabethe as deputy mayor.
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 Sep 2024: The KZN provincial government announced a Section 154(1) intervention in Umdoni. It was meant to deal with problems in how the council is run. It was also meant to deal with problems in how services reach people. The government appointed a local government expert to support the municipality.
KwaZulu-Natal COGTA. Published 30 September 2024.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-3 and 5 (support intervention; the council was not dissolved)
As of 30 Sep 2024: Mbali Cele-Luthuli is mayor of Umdoni.
Daily News. Published 30 September 2024.
Where to look: paragraph 3 ('Mayor Mbali Cele-Luthuli'; only the office is used, the DA's allegations are not repeated)
As of 9 Nov 2021: Mbali Judith Cele was elected as the ANC ward councillor for uMdoni Ward 16 in 2021. Phila Elvis Thabethe was also elected as the ANC ward councillor for Ward 9.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: KZN212 - uMdoni: ANC, ward 52102016, CELE MBALI JUDITH; ward 52102009, THABETHE PHILA ELVIS
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: pp. 3-4 of 4, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 18 (16 ward, 2 party). Democratic Alliance: 6 (3 ward, 3 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 5 (0 ward, 5 party). Inkatha Freedom Party: 5 (0 ward, 5 party). Abantu Batho Congress: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Al Jama-ah: 1 (0 ward, 1 party). Allied Movement for Change: 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 37 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 Umdoni an unqualified audit opinion with findings for 2024-25. That is better than in 2023-24, when it got a qualified opinion.
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)
Nothing matches. Try another word.