Election of councillors, composition of councils and tenure

Election of councillors, composition of councils and tenure (1) A councillor shall be elected in accordance with Article 47(3) by registered voters resident within the district. (2) A council shall consist of the following members: (a) persons elected in accordance with clause (1); (b) a Member of Parliament from each constituency within the district; (c) a mayor or council chairperson elected in accordance with Article 154; and (d) not more than three chiefs representing chiefs in the district, elected by the chiefs in the district; [clause (2) substituted by section 13(a) of Act 13 of 2025] (3) The system of electing chiefs specified in clause (2)(d) shall be prescribed. [clause (3) amended by section 13(b) of Act 13 of 2025] (4) A person qualifies to be elected as a councillor, in accordance with clause (1) if that person— (a) is not a Member of Parliament; (b) is not less than nineteen years of age; (c) has obtained, as a minimum academic qualification, a grade twelve certificate or its equivalent; (d) is a citizen or a holder of a resident permit, resident in the district; and (e) has a certificate of clearance showing the payment of council taxes, where applicable. [clause (4) amended by section 13(c) of Act 13 of 2025] (5) A council may invite a person, whose presence is in its opinion desirable, to attend and to participate in the deliberations of the council but that person shall have no vote. (6) The term of a council shall be five years commencing from the date the councillors are sworn into office after a general election and ending on the date Parliament is dissolved. (7) Notwithstanding clause (6), members of a council shall be deemed to have served until a day before the next general election. [clause (7) added by section 13(d) of Act 13 of 2025]