The Newcastle Local Municipality council consists of sixty-seven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation.
Thirty-four councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirty-four wards, while the remaining thirty-three 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 its majority, winning a plurality of 22 seats.
[7] The IFP took control of the municipality by entering into agreement with the DA, Team Sugar and other parties.
[8][9] The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since the election in November 2021.