The Speaker of Council, The Speaker is a full time councillor. The functions of the Speaker are set out in Section 37 of the Municipal Structures Act as follows:

• presides at meetings of  the Council;
• performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated to the speaker by the Council
• must ensure that the council meets at least quarterly;
• must maintain order during meetings;
• must ensure compliance in the council and council committees with the Code of Conduct for Councillors as set out in Schedule 1 of the Municipal Systems Act ; and 
• must ensure that council meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules and orders of the council.

In addition to the statutory functions listed above, in the ADM, the Speaker as been assigned further responsibilities and duties which are articulated in the Delegation Policy. A summary of these are listed hereunder:

• encouraging participation of communities and community organisations in the decision making process of the municipality
• developing mechanisms to ensure and monitor participation of communities in the decision making process;
• ensuring that communities and community organizations are educated on their rights and responsibilities to participate and give input to the municipality's policy development processes as well as planning and budget processes;

• ensuring that the Standing Rules of Council are developed and regularly  updated, and in this regard is delegated the authority to establish the Rules Committee and to ensure the functioning of the committee;
• in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Whip, developing  a schedule of meetings for the Council and  Committees of Council in line with Rule 12 of the Standing Rules;
• ensure that Council and Standing Committees observe the calendar and meet on the dates allocated in the schedule of meetings;
• receiving and considering apologies and leaves of absence from Councillors in relation to meetings that Councillors are required to attend in terms of item 3 of Schedule 1 of the Municipal Systems Act, 2
• After consultation with the Whip, and the chairperson of the committee concerned, advising the chairperson of the committee and the Councillor concerned whether the apology has been accepted or not by no later than 12 hours before the time set for the meeting concerned;
• Reporting  twice yearly to Council on the attendance of Councillors at meetings of Council and Standing Committees;
• investigating any suspected breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors, and report to Council on the outcome;
• ensuring that reports on investigations into possible breaches of the Code of Conduct for Councillors are submitted to the MEC in line with item 13(3) of  Schedule 1 of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000;
• developing mechanisms to monitor the general conduct and  performance of Councillors and report to Council annually on the conduct and performance of Councillors;.
• after consultation with the Whip, deploying identified Councillors to such  Committees;
• ensuring that traditional leaders are designated to attend and participate in any meetings of Council or any Committees of Council;
• ensuring that Council develops guidelines to determine the manner and level of participation of traditional leaders in Council;
• establishing and co-ordinating a forum to enable the Speakers of local municipalities and the district to cooperate with one another on a sharing and learning basis;
• facilitating the sharing of lessons and experiences on matters peculiar to the local government legislative sector.
• ensuring that  political structures promoting public participation, such as ward committees , are functional and effective;
• co-ordinating  the establishment of a forum to enable structures of civil society to interact with the municipality on issues of service delivery, policy formulation, and social transformation;
• ensuring that such structures of civil society are convened at least once a year to interact with the municipality’s planning process and input on development of policies;
• ensuring that structures of civil society are afforded an opportunity to assess the performance of the municipality in respect of service delivery, within the context of community oversight and accountable governance.
• developing mechanisms to facilitate the review of the annual report and preparation of the oversight report, including the establishment of an oversight committee or any similar structure to give effect to the provisions of the Municipal Finance Management Act,;
• ensuring the involvement of the community and community organizations in the process of reviewing the municipality's performance and the annual report; 
• ensuring the preparation and adoption of the oversight report, within the timeframes specified in the Municipal Finance Management Act.
• ensuring that the public is invited to attend meetings of the Council where the annual report is to be tabled or discussed; 
• providing guidance on mechanisms to enable members of the community and community organizations to make submissions on the annual report;
• ensuring that submissions made by the community and community organizations are considered and responded to during discussions of the annual report;
• performing all functions and responsibilities regarding the Moral Regeneration Program and other related social transformation program. 

The functions, power and responsibilities of the Executive Mayor are assigned by legislation, in terms of section 56 of the Municipal Structures Act and Chapter 7 of the MFMA, as well by resolutions of Council passed from time to time to allocate specific responsibilities  to the Executive Mayor. Provided that the legislation permits sub-delegation, or Council has authorized the power to sub-delegate in respect of Council delegations of authority made to the Executive Mayor, the Executive Mayor may sub-delegate such functions to the Mayoral Committee members of Standing Committees;

A summary of the powers and functions of the Executive Mayor assigned in terms of Section 56 of the Municipal Systems Act, are as follows:

Identify the needs of the municipality and recommend to Council strategies, programmes and services  to address such needs;

• identify and develop criteria for the evaluation of strategies, programmes and services implemented to address needs of the municipality;
• evaluate progress against key performance indicators;
• review the performance of the municipality in terms of its:
• - economy, efficiency and effectiveness;

• - Credit control and debt collection efficiency;

• monitor the management of Administration;
• oversee the sustainable provision of services to communities;
• perform duties and exercises powers as delegated by Council;
• reports annually on the involvement of communities and community organisations in the affairs of the municipality;
• such reports must be presented at institutional political forum to ensure ownership of the reports by the Executive;
• gives attention to the public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of council. 

In addition to the above, the Executive Mayor is assigned financial responsibilities as prescribed under Chapter 7 of the MFMA, which can be summarised as follows:

• providing general political guidance of the fiscal and financial affairs of the municipality;
• monitoring and overseeing the exercise of financial responsibilities assigned to the Accounting Officer and Chief Financial Officer in terms of the MFMA;
• taking all reasonable steps to ensure the municipality performs its Constitutional and statutory functions within the limits to the municipality’s approved budget;
• submitting a report to Council, within 30 days of the end of each quarter, on the implementation of the budget and the financial state of affairs of the municipality;
• performing any other powers and duties that me be delegated by Council;

In terms of the Budget Process:

• providing general political guidance over the budget process and the priorities that must guide the preparation of the budget;
• co-ordinating the annual revision of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), and the preparation of the annual budget, and determining how the IDP is to be taken into account, or revised, for the purpose of the budget;
• taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the budget is approved by Council before the start of the  budget year; that the Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) is approved by the Mayor within 28 days after the approval of the budget;
• taking all reasonable steps to ensure that performance agreements for S56 managers are in accordance with the Municipal Systems Act and relevant regulations, and are concluded as per the Act;
• reporting to the MEC for finance in the province regarding any delays in tabling the budget for approval, in approval of the SDBIP, or the signing of annual performance agreements for S56 managers;

ensuring that revenue and expenditure projections for each month and service delivery targets and performance indicators for each quarter, as set out in the SDBIP, are made public within 14 days of the approval of the SDBIP;

ensuring that S56 managers’ performance agreements, are made public within 14 days after the approval of the SDBIP, and are submitted to Council and the MEC for local government in the province;

In terms of budgetary control:

• on receipt of monthly budget statements or mid-year budget and performance assessment reports submitted by the Accounting Officer:

- checking budget implementation is being done in accordance with the SDBIP;

- considering the revision of the SDBIP, provided that the service delivery targets and performance indicators in the plan may only be made with the approval of Council after approving an adjustment budget;

- ensuring that the public are informed promptly or any revisions to the SDBIP;

- issuing appropriate instructions to the Accounting Officer to ensure budget implementation with the SDBIP and to ensure spending of funds and revenue collection proceed in accordance with the budget;

- submitting a report on the mid-year budget and performance assessment to Council by 31 January each year;

• identifying financial problems facing the municipality;

• initiating remedial or corrective steps where financial problems are identified;

• alerting Council and the MEC for local government to financial problems identified

In terms of rights and powers over municipal entities, such as ASPIRE:

• guiding the municipality in exercising its rights and powers over the municipal entity, in a way:

- that ensures that the municipal entity complies with the MFMA and remains accountable to the municipality; and

- that would not impede the municipal entity from performing its operational responsibilities;

• monitoring the operational functions of the municipal entity, but in a way that does not interfere in the performance of those functions.