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Councillors who lost their seats in municipal councils will receive a once-off payment from government to adjust to life outside public office.

The once-off gratuity, as it is officially called, is for non-returning ward and proportional representation (PR) councillors to assist with some of their financial commitments.

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It is a programme under the Department of Cooperative Governance.

Municipal councils were officially dissolved following the declaration of results for the 2026 local government elections.

When the new councils are formed in the next 14 days, there will be many new councillors across the country.

However, for those who will not be returning to their seats, they qualify for a once-off gratuity payment from government.

The payments are calculated on a sliding scale, with the minimum requirement being that a councillor must have served for more than 24 months between 2021 and 2026.

Councillors who have served for more than 60 months during that time will receive three months’ worth of their salaries as a once-off gratuity.

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