Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Vhembe come from
Every fact on the Vhembe 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 13 Oct 2026: The Vhembe District Municipality names Cllr Miyelani Chauke as Executive Mayor in its news items. The latest is dated 13 October 2026.
Vhembe District Municipality. Published 13 October 2026.
Where to look: news listing, item 'Executive Mayor hands over water borehole project at Phugwani Village' (13 Oct 2026), first sentence
As of 12 May 2026: The ANC appointed its Vhembe deputy regional chairperson, Miyelani Mabanana Chauke, as the new Vhembe district mayor. He replaced Freda Nkondo, who stepped down after an internal ANC recall.
The Citizen. Published 12 May 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 1-2
As of 8 Nov 2023: The ANC in Limpopo appointed four mayors. Minah Bahula went to Sekhukhune District. Freddah Nkondo, the Vhembe District Speaker (the councillor who chairs council meetings), became Vhembe mayor. Dorcus Mboyi, the Makhado Speaker, became Makhado mayor. Shadrack Maluleke became Collins Chabane mayor. He had been standing in after the Collins Chabane mayor was killed.
IOL. Published 8 November 2023.
Where to look: article body, list of the four appointments (IOL sign-off at the end; original IOL URL not located)
As of 9 Nov 2021: Miyelani Gladstone Chauke was elected in 2021 as an ANC PR councillor in Collins Chabane. A PR councillor holds a seat a party gets from its list, to match its share of the votes. Collins Chabane is one of the Vhembe local councils. He was first on the ANC list.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Limpopo, 'LIM345 - Collins Chabane' row: AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS PR(1) CHAUKE MIYELANI GLADSTONE
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 24 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 seats voters choose directly, by party. African National Congress: 20. Economic Freedom Fighters: 2. Democratic Alliance: 1. Pan Africanist Congress of Azania: 1.
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 the Vhembe district council 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 the Vhembe district council 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', Limpopo, 'Vhembe DM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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