20 Nov 2025

Specially elected councillors have received total remuneration amounting to approximately P50,418,966, inclusive of basic salaries and allowances. 

This figure covers 157 specially elected councilors across the country’s 61 constituencies and 31 district/town councils. 

Responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, the Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, said the expenditure was justifiable because specially elected councilors were appointed in terms of the Local Government Act No. 18 of 2012. He said Section 13(1) of the Act provided for specially nominated councilors in the constitution of councils. 

“This means that for a council to be truly and legally constituted, it must comprise both elected and specially nominated members, as confirmed by a subsequent Order published in the Government Gazette.”

On the question of reviewing or abolishing the special nomination dispensation for councilors, the minister stated that the current specially nominated councilors must serve their full five-year term, from November 2024 to October 2029. 

He acknowledged that acute skills gap still existed in some local authorities, particularly among directly elected councilors. 

Mr Motshegwa assured Parliament that the ministry would take into consideration the relevance and necessity of specially elected or nominated councilors when the Local Government Act, 2012 was reviewed. 

The question was posed by the Member of Parliament for Bobirwa, Mr Taolo Lucas, who asked the minister to state whether the expenditure on specially elected councilors was justifiable under the current economic situation and whether the ministry was open to reviewing the special election or nomination system for councilors. ENDS