To understand the political situation as it stand today, we need to be reminded what happened in the last local elections and led us to this day: 

Swellendam local Municipality consists of 6 wards (contested in the local elections).  

The current local municipality Council consists of 11 members, elected by mixed-member proportional representation. This means: 

• 6x Cllrs are elected (one for each ward);
• The remaining 5x Cllrs are chosen from the party lists (so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received in the elections).
• The ward Cllrs are:

(1) Ward 1 (Swellendam Town & Stormsvlei) – Elna Lambrecht (DA) 

(2) Ward 2 (Barrydale) – Isaac Ferguson (ANC) 

(3) Ward 3 (Suurbraak, Buffeljagsrivier & Malgas) – Donovan Julius (ANC) 

(4) Ward 4 (Railton) – Francois du Rand (DA) 

(5) Ward 5 (Railton) – Gladys Libazi (ANC) 

(6) Ward 6 (Railton) – Julian Matthysen (ANC) 

• Proportional Cllrs (as per party lists) are:

(7) Juan van Schalkwyk (VF+) 

(8) Frans Kees (DA) 

(9) Agnes Bokwana (DA) 

(10) Amanda Swart (ANC) 

(11) David Julius (DA) 

Currently office bearers are: 

• Executive Mayor (currently vacant))
• Deputy Mayor (vacant since 2023)
• Speaker (Jean v Schalkwyk)

Last Local elections performance (November 2021) – Seats were allocated as follows: 

The DA won the elections with a total number of 6 seats (3x ward seats and 3 Party List seats). 

The ANC came second with 4 seats (3x ward seats and 1 party List seat). 

The VF+ came third with 1 seat (0 ward seats and 1 party list seat). 

The DA won the local municipality with outright with 6 seats (ANC 4 and VF+ 1) 

In the 2022/23 financial year 3x DA Cllrs were removed by the DA Party leadership – one of which was the Deputy Mayor (2 party list Cllrs were removed and 1x ward Cllr – Barrydale). 

To fill a vacant seat in Ward 2 (Barrydale), a by-election was held on 22 March 2023 and was won by the ANC. 

After 2023 By-election the local Council consisted (also currently in place) of 5x DA seats, 5x ANC seats and 1x VF+ seat. With a 50/50 split this means that no party outright governs without the help of a coalition partner. 

A Coalition government, under the Mayoral leadership of Francois du Rand, was formed between the DA and VF+, and the VF+ Cllr voted in as Speaker of Council. The Coalition Government had majority in Council. 

The Coalition relationship however seemed to have soured with the Speaker voting with the ANC to oust Executive Mayor Francois du Rand on 27 January 2025.. 

DO THE VOTERS NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE MAYOR OF THE COUNCIL? 

No. The voters vote in seats and representation at local elections.  

Cllrs (seats as per election results) vote in office bearers: Executive Mayor, deputy Mayor and Speaker. Together Cllrs and Office Bearers make up the Executive Management Committee of Council (MayCo). 

Even if Cllr du Rand was removed from the Mayoral position, he remains the elected Cllr for Ward 4. 

27 January 2025, THE AFTERMATH 

A new Executive Mayor will be voted in on 3 February 2025.  

It will be interesting to see what will happen with the Coalition Government agreement between the DA and VF+ as trust has been broken.