How SA's Local Municipal Elections Work

​​There are three different categories of municipalities in South Africa and they have slightly different electoral systems.

Metropolitan municipalities (Category A): 
Metropolitan municipalities exist in the six biggest cities in South Africa. They have more than 500 000 voters and the metropolitan municipality co-ordinates the delivery of services to the whole area. There are metropolitan municipalities in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Ethekweni (Durban), Tshwane (Pretoria), Nelson Mandela (Port Elizabeth) and the Ekhuruleni (East Rand). These municipalities are broken into wards. Half the councillors are elected through a proportional representation ballot, where voters vote for a party. The other half are elected as ward councillors by the residents in each ward.

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Local municipalities (Category B): 
Areas that fall outside of the six metropolitan municipal areas are divided into local municipalities. There are a total of 231 of these local municipalities and each municipality is broken into wards. The residents in each ward are represented by a ward councillor. Voters in these municipalities also vote for district councils.

Half the local councillors are elected through a proportional representation ballot, where voters vote for a party. The other half are elected as ward councillors by the residents in each ward.

Only people who live in low population areas, like game parks, do not fall under local municipalities. The areas are called district management areas (DMA) and fall directly under the district municipality.

District municipalities (Category C):
District municipalities are made up of a number of local municipalities that fall in one district. There are usually between 4 - 6 local municipalities that come together in a district council and there are 47 district municipalities in South Africa. The district municipality has to co-ordinate development and delivery in the whole district.

The district council is made up of two types of councillors:

Elected councillors - they are elected for the district council on a proportional representation ballot by all voters in the area. (40% of the district councillors)

Councillors who represent local municipalities in the area - they are local councillors sent by their council to represent it on the district council. (60% of the district councillors)

Who votes for what?

Metro Council voters:
one PR vote for metro council 
one ward vote for individual candidate

Local Council voters:
one PR vote for local council
one ward vote for individual candidate
one PR vote for District Council

District Management: 
one PR vote for DMA representatives to DC,

Area voters:
one PR vote for District Council

Note: in some very small local councils with very few councillors, there may be no wards and only a PR vote.

Copied off www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html#electoral

“Select capable men from all the people - men who fear God; trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain - and appoint them as officials...”
Exodus 18:21

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