The municipality can be described primarily as a rural, agricultural area. The municipality is situated approximately 56km south-east of Johannesburg and is traversed by two national roads (the N17 and the N3), which creates future economic development potential. The major urban concentration is located in Heidelberg/Ratanda, situated along the N3 freeway where it intersects with Provincial Route R42, east of the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve.
There are 26 seats in the council with 4 political parties represented in council. The ANC is leading with 13 seats, followed by the DA with 5, EFF 4 and SEFM with 1 seat.
The powers and functions of the Executive Mayor are set out in section 56 of the Structures Act. The Executive Mayor is the political head of the Municipality and exercises both statutory and ceremonial functions. An executive mayor is entitled to receive reports from committees of the municipal council and to forward these reports together with a recommendation to the council when the matter cannot be disposed of by the executive mayor in terms of the executive mayor’s delegated powers.
The speaker’s role in a municipality is key to ensuring oversight, accountability, integrity, discipline of office, and the efficient running of council meetings. As such, impartiality in the exercise of his or her function is essential for the speaker. The speaker must distinguish between his or her activities as a politician and his or her functions as a speaker. It also means that the function of the speaker and the non-partisan exercise of that function must be respected by members, parties and interests represented in the council.