| Mafube | |
| Settlement Type: | Local municipality |
| Seal Size: | 150x100px |
| Map Alt: | Location in the Free State |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Free State |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Fezile Dabi |
| Seat: | Frankfort |
| Parts Type: | Wards |
| Parts: | 9 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Municipal council |
| Leader Party: | ANC |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Jabulani Sigasa |
| Area Total Km2: | 3971 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 57876 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 91.9% |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 0.6% |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.3% |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 7.0% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 64.4% |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 20.9% |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 8.3% |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.7% |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 4.7% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Municipal code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | FS205 |
Mafube Municipality (Sotho, Southern: Masepala wa Mafube; Zulu: UMasipala wase Mafube) is a local municipality within the Fezile Dabi District Municipality, in the Free State province of South Africa.
Mafube is a Sesotho word meaning "dawning of the new day".[4]
The 2001 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[5]
| Place | Code | Area (km2) | Population | Most spoken language | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42001 | 1.95 | 1,502 | Sotho | ||
| 42002 | 32.64 | 1,900 | Zulu | ||
| 42003 | 145.68 | 5,367 | Sotho | ||
| 42005 | 4.28 | 19,413 | Sotho | ||
| 42006 | 0.36 | 1,867 | Sotho | ||
| 42007 | 1.95 | 17,244 | Sotho | ||
| 42008 | 24.27 | 984 | Zulu | ||
| Remainder of the municipality | 42004 | 4,371.52 | 9,363 | Sotho |
See main article: Mafube Local Municipality elections. The municipal council consists of seventeen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Nine councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in nine wards, while the remaining eight are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 the African National Congress (ANC) won a reduced majority of ten seats on the council.
The following table shows the results of the election.[6]
In 2015 the municipal manager, Nkabi Hlubi, allegedly awarded tenders to the value of R21 million to Pit Dog Trading. The latter company allegedly manipulated its tender grading and provided Hlubi with kickbacks of R1 million each time a municipal payment was made. Hlubi appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate's court in 2021 on charges of fraud and corruption.[7]
As of January 2024, the municipality is under administration, one of 32 in the country, and three in the Free State where the provincial executive has intervened due to maladministration[8]