South African Mayors
Researched and edited by Alidad Vassigh*

12 September 2012: South Africa has nine provinces containing eight metropolitan municipalities - the largest cities and environs - and 44 district municipalities. District municipalities are divided into 226 local municipalities, the latter including one or more towns and surrounding zones. The smallest unit is the ward, of which there were 4,277 in 2010. The ward is an elective "constituency" and many municipal council members are elected directly in wards.

Councils are elected every five years govern municipalities. The last municipal elections took place in May 2011 and polls are due again in 2016. Metropolitan councils have half their members directly elected from wards, and half by the proportional representation of party lists. District councils have 60 per cent of members appointed by local councils in that district, and 40 per cent are elected by proportional representation (some municipal websites suggest differing proportions). Local municipalities are governed by local councils, half of whose members are elected directly in wards and half through proportional representation/voting for party lists.

Municipal duties are divided between the larger and smaller councils. Larger councils can choose to have an executive mayor, who must be elected by councillors. The local government act of 1998 lists the powers and duties of executive mayors. (Copies of the act can be obtained by emailing the editor of City Mayors. Please insert 'South Africa' in the subject line.) The executive mayor in cooperation with the municipal council can appoint a salaried municipal manager responsible for general administration, financial management and human resources. The municipal manager reports to the executive and the council.


Mayors of the largest cities in South Africa
(Readers are invited to supply information on additional South African cities and mayors. Please insert 'South African mayors' into the subject line of any emails.)

Municipality (province), administrative seat, population, website	Executive mayor (Mr, Ms)	Elections	Profile
Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (Northwest) o Rustemburg * Popl: 1,320,961 ** www.bojanala.gov.za/	R.J.L. Diremelo	May 2011	Party: African National Congress (ANC)
Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (Eastern Cape) East London Popl: 724,306 (est. 2007) www.buffalocity.gov.za/	Zukiswa Veronica Ncitha (Ms)	May 2011 (took office 1 June 2011)	Born New Brighton in Port Elizabeth, politically active from late 1970s, prominent women's rights activist, councillor Amathole District Municipality 2000; from 2007 member communist party central committee. Party: SACP
Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality (Western Cape) Cape Town Popl: 3,409,077 www.capetown.gov.za/	Patricia de Lille (Ms)	2011	Born 1951; trade union and political background, member of parliament 1994; before mayor was social development minister of Western Cape province. Founded Independent Democrats in 2003, party merged with Democratic Alliance in 2010. Party: DA
Capricorn District Municipality (Limpopo) Polokwane Popl: 1,232,870 cdmunicipality.wsiefusion.net/	Makgabo Lawrence Mapoulo (Mr)	Since 2010	Party: ANC
Ehlanzeni District Municipality (Mpumalanga) Nelspruit Popl: 1,528,733 ehlanzeni.co.za/	Letta Ntombi Shongwe (Ms)	2011	Methodist, married with four children, member ANC Women's League; 2008-14 member ANC Executive and Working committees.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (Gauteng) Germiston Popl: 3,027,131 http://www.ekurhuleni.gov.za/	Mondli Gungubele (Mr)	Appointed July 2012 at Special Council Meeting (succeeded acting mayor Ms. Tunu Agnes Mnisi).	Born 1957; diploma in nursing; o member of Gauteng provincial parliament since 1994; member Gauteng provincial government Executive Council 1999-2004. Party: ANC
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal) 3,499,254 Durban www.durban.gov.za	James Nxumalo (Mr)	May 2011	Born 1967; son of farm labourers; activist from 1980s, 1990 joined ANC and SACP. Declared war on municipal corruption when elected, promised to act against officials Party: ANC
Gert Sibande District Municipality (Mpumalanga) Secunda Popl: 981,132 www.gsibande.gov.za/	Mishack Nhlabathi (Mr) o	Previously Mangaung municipal manager (2008-11?)	Party: ANC
Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (Gauteng) Johannesburg Popl: 3,775,228 www.joburg.org.za/	Mpho Parks Tau (Mr)	Mayor May 2009 (?) succeeding Matome Humphrey Mokgobi	Was regional secretary of ANC in Johannesburg and president Soweto Youth Congress. Party: ANC
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (Free State) Bloemfontein Popl: ca. 850,000 (city website) www.bloemfontein.co.za/	Thabo Manyoni (Mr)	Mayor November 2009, re-elected 2011	Deputy-chairman ANC In Free State 2008, national chairman South African Local Government Association. Party: ANC
Mopani District Municipality (Free State) Giyani Popl: 1,147,356 www.mopani.gov.za/	Leswafo Joshua Matlou (Mr)	2011	Previously mayor of Greater Letaba local municipality (Mopani District), provincial chair ANC Youth League, and deputy-regional chair ANC Mopani.
Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (Free State) Port Elizabeth Popl: 1,138,917 www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/	Zanoxolo Wayile (Mr)	Sworn in March 2009	Born 1964 o Activism in 1980s-90s, member of ANC Youth League in early 90s; was council member in 2006, ANC deputy-regional chair Nelson Mandela Bay Party: ANC and UDF
Nkangala District Municipality (Mpumalanga) Middelburg Popl: 1,107,648 /www.nkangaladm.org.za/	Speedy Katisi Mashilo (Mr)	Elected November 2010	Party: ANC
O.R. (Oliver) Tambo District Municipality (Eastern Cape) Mthatha Popl: 1,798,707 www.ortambodm.org.za/	Dingaan Myolwa (Mr)	Re-elected 2011	Party: ANC
Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality (Limpopo) Groblersdal Popl: 1,019,198 www.sekhukhune.gov.za/	David Mogobo Magabe	2011	Born 1964 o ANC member 1990s, regional chair ANC Sekhukhune region 2008.
Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Gauteng) Pretoria 2,364,866 www.tshwane.gov.za	Kgosientso David Ramokgopa (Mr)	2011	BSc engineering Durban-Westville University, two MSc degrees, business background, previously several ANC positions. Party: ANC
uMgungundlovu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal) Pietermaritzburg Popl: 989,371 www.umdm.gov.za/	Yusuf Bhamjee (Mr)		AParty: NC
uThungulu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal) Richards Bay Popl: 1,025,835 www.uthungulu.org.za	Thembeka Mchunu (Ms)		Vowed to improve infrastructure, fight corruption at inauguration, June 2011. Party: ANC
Vhembe District Municipality (Limpopo) Thohoyandou Popl: 1,336,493 www.vhembe.gov.za/	Baldwin Tshitereke Matibe (Mr)		Previously mayor Mutale local municipality; regional chair ANC
Zululand District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal) Ulundi Popl: 852,827 www.zululand.org.za/	Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi (Ms)		Chairwoman Inkatha Freedom Party, left 2011 to found National Freedom Party (NFP).

* The administrative seat is a local municipality or a city.
** Population figures are estimates for metropolitan or district municipalities given in mid-2010 by the South African statistics agency Statistics South Africa, unless stated in brackets
*** Parties: African National Congress (ANC); South African Communist Party (SACP); Democratic Alliance (DA), runs Western Cape province and led by Helen Zille; United Democratic Front (UDF) formed 1983 as a "united front" of civic and church bodies opposed to Apartheid. Forged alliances with other parties and trade unions; National Freedom Party (NFP) launched 2011 by the Zululand mayoress and former chairwoman of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP); IFP – the country's fourth-largest party, formed 1975 by the Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi.