The Merafong City Local Municipality council consists of fifty-five members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Twenty-eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in twenty-eight wards, while the remaining twenty-seven 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) lost their majority of seats on the council
The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.
| Event | AIC | ANC | DA | EFF | FF+ | IFP | UDM | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 election | - | 37 | 9 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 51 |
| 2006 election | - | 33 | 12 | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 51 |
| 2011 election | - | 41 | 11 | - | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 56 |
| 2016 election | 1 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 55 |
| 2021 election | 1 | 27 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 55 |
See main article: 2000 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2000 election.[1]
See main article: 2006 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2006 election.[2]
See main article: 2011 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.[3]
See main article: 2016 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[4]
See main article: 2021 South African municipal elections.
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[5]
The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period from November 2021.[6]
| Date | Ward | Party of the previous councillor | Party of the newly elected councillor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 November 2022 | 4 | ||||
| 5 April 2023[7] | 16 | ||||
After the murder of ward 4's independent councillor, Thabo Malatjie, in Lesotho, a by-election was held on 30 November. The ANC regained the seat, winning 62% of the vote.[8]