End-of-term report · Gauteng

Merafong City · the 2021 to 2026 term

Elected 1 November 2021, in office until the council's first sitting. 52 of 55 councillors served the whole term.

55seats at the start 3ward seats changed hands 1of those changed party ANC 27largest at the start ANC 28largest at the end ANC 17largest, elected 2026

How the council changed during the term

Seats as elected in 2021 against seats on the eve of the 2026 election. Differences come from by-elections and mid-term replacements recorded by the IEC; PR replacements that parties made without a by-election are not captured.

55 seats · as elected, Nov 2021 · 55 · at the end of the term.

PartySeats · as elected, then at the end of the termChange

ANC

27 → 28 (+1)

9 → 9

EFF

9 → 9

FF Plus

4 → 4

MAOC

2 → 2

AIC

1 → 1

IFP

1 → 1

UDM

1 → 1

IND

1 → 0 (-1)

as elected, Nov 2021at the end of the term

Ward seats that changed hands

When	Ward	Left	Why	Came in
30 Nov 2022	Ward 4	Thabo Malatjie IND	by-election	Fanyana Alfred Motloung ANC · seat changed party
05 Apr 2023	Ward 16	Devin Charles Nieuwenhuyzen DA	by-election	David Henry Harman DA
26 Nov 2025	Ward 10	Thabo Raymond Masiu ANC	by-election	Tshepiso Chester Sekgothudi ANC

The council's record over the term

Merafong City meets 1 of 6 yardsticks

Judged against National Treasury's and the Auditor-General's own norms, latest figures, 2023/24. Not a rating: 6 separate answers. How we judge.

Clean books?

Well short

Qualified

An unqualified audit with no findings

The Auditor-General could not vouch for parts of Merafong City's books.

Merafong City holds 1.2 months of running costs in cash, below Treasury's three-month norm.

2024/25 · was 0.0 months↗ improving

Collects what it bills?

Well short

19%

norm 95%

For every R100 Merafong City bills, it collects R19. Treasury expects R95.

2024/25 · was 3%↗ improving

Looks after what it owns?

Well short

0.9%

norm 8.0%

Merafong City spends 0.9% of what its roads, pipes and buildings are worth on repairs. Treasury's norm is 8%.

2024/25 · was 0.1%↗ improving

Spends the building budget?

Meets the norm

-2%

norm 0%

Merafong City left 2% of its building budget unspent: projects planned but not delivered.

2023/24 · was -46%↗ improving

42.8% of Merafong City's spending was unauthorised, irregular, fruitless or wasteful. Treasury's target is none.

2023/24 · was 17.5%↘ slipping

Audit outcome · Auditor-General, by financial year

2021/22Disclaimer of opinion 2022/23Disclaimer of opinion 2023/24Qualified

Cash coverage

1.2 mo2024/25

province median 1.2 mo · Treasury: average

Debtor collection

19.1%2024/25

province median 70.5% · Treasury: bad

Repairs and maintenance

0.9%2024/25

province median 2.1% · Treasury: bad

Capital budget spent

-2.5%2023/24

province median -2.5% · Treasury: good

Wasteful expenditure

42.8%2023/24

province median 23.4% · Treasury: bad

Current ratio

0.232024/25

province median 0.49 · Treasury: bad

The council's record, not any councillor's. Source: National Treasury Municipal Money and Auditor-General reports, fetched 11 Nov 2026. Financial years end in June.

Office-bearers at the end of the term

Mayor

N Best

Municipal Manager

Dumisani Donald Mabuza (Municipal Manage

Chief Financial Officer

Palesa Mikateko Makhubela (CFO)

Per National Treasury's register as fetched 11 Nov 2026.

What comes next

The council elected on 4 November 2026: ANC is the largest party with 17 of 49 seats. See the council page for the elected councillors, seat by seat.