MunicipalitiesSA

Bitou Local Municipality

WC047 Local Western Cape Governed by DA/IPM/AUF Coalition

65 240 Population Census 2022
992 Square kilometres 65.8 per km2
21 848 Households
13 Council seats Coalition governed

Bitou Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 992 square kilometres. It falls within the Garden Route District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Keurboomstrand, Krantshoek, Kurland, Kwanokuthula, Nature’s Valley, Plettenberg Bay and Wittedrift.

Census 2022 counted 65 240 residents, making it the 24th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 206th of 257 nationally. That works out to 65.8 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 21 848 households, averaging 3.0 people each. 22.5% of residents are under 15 and 8.5% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 14.3% hold a higher education qualification and 2.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 13 seats across 6 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 5 seats (38.5%). It is governed by a coalition: DA/IPM/AUF Coalition. Ms Jessica Kamkam serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr Chris Mapeyi is acting municipal manager.

On this site’s financial health measure, which weighs the Auditor-General’s opinion alongside operating margin, liquidity, cash cover and irregular spending, Bitou scores 54.7 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R999.9 million in operating revenue against R929.0 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R70.9 million. At the last census, 80.0% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 98.6% used electricity for lighting and 85.2% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 5
  • ANC 4
  • AUF 1
  • IPM 1
  • PA 1
  • PDC 1

Office bearers

Mayor Ms Jessica Kamkam DA
Deputy Mayor Ms Nokuzola Kolwapi IPM
Speaker Ms Mavis Busakwe AUF
Chief Whip Ms Annelise Oliver MMC
Municipal Manager Mr Chris Mapeyi Acting
Municipal Manager Mr Mbulelo Memani Suspended
Chief Financial Officer Mr Christopher Mapeyi
Mayoral Committee Mr JN Kamkam MMC
Mayoral Committee Mrs Katrina De Bruin
Mayoral Committee Ms Renicia Willemse MPAC Chairperson
Mayoral Committee Mr Thembela Mhlana
Mayoral Committee Willem Nel MMC
Senior Management Mr Alan Croutz Manager: Legal Services
Senior Management Mr Alan Paulse Manager: Governance and Compliance
Senior Management Mr Carlos Koeberg Chief Audit Executive
Senior Management Mrs Carol van Standen Chief Risk Officer
Senior Management Mr Fezile Maki Manager: Integrated Human Settlements
Senior Management Mrs Jennifer Mussa Council Support
Senior Management Mr Luvuyo Loliwe Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Siyasanga Vandala Acting Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr Thembinkosi Henge Manager: IDP
Senior Management Mr Victor Felton Director: Engineering Services
Communications Mr Andile Namtu Manager: Corporate Communications, IGR, and Public

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditFinancially unqualifiedClean auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates196 255178 229151 413157 194149 321
Service charges487 906431 020420 558401 993374 427
Investment revenue17 39613 1988 0353 7476 601
Transfers recognised - operational170 940173 026155 970140 026149 138
Other own revenue127 449120 740103 97196 36657 355
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)999 946916 213839 947799 325736 842
Employee costs322 315313 617286 329278 100266 759
Remuneration of councillors7 5127 3766 7216 1986 250
Depreciation and amortisation37 32548 85136 39336 13535 696
Finance charges24 21120 92219 74011 10213 399
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases250 202214 280177 949174 666160 591
Transfers and subsidies9 2219 2085 6264 5275 571
Other expenditure278 260268 253264 037288 952275 290
Total Expenditure929 045882 508796 795799 680763 556
Surplus/(Deficit)70 90133 70543 151-355-26 715
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)89 64050 30736 56748 27033 032
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-33-325-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions160 54184 04579 71848 2406 317
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year160 54184 04579 71848 2406 317

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure134 346104 31184 80779 57479 203
Transfers recognised - capital78 86244 92433 50560 30628 991
Borrowing30 73735 92032 098-11 805
Internally generated funds24 74723 43419 20318 94338 406
Total sources of capital funds134 346104 27984 80679 24979 203

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets369 976292 020450 113341 997309 745
Total non current assets1 430 6461 334 5691 255 3461 219 0041 173 689
Total current liabilities165 214181 136391 277359 377255 308
Total non current liabilities221 615192 202162 293134 689213 822
Community wealth/Equity1 413 7931 253 2841 151 9221 066 9431 007 987

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-972 454-769 631-308 562188 46728 367
Net cash from (used) investing-152 028-114 140-72 38210 375-748
Net cash from (used) financing-1 352----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-960 407-788 693-332 316272 307153 336

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure12 53431 764-1 231 12135 294
Irregular expenditure45 50121 87617573 23544 080
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure2821 162754 466103

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population65 24059 15749 162

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1522.5%25.4%25.2%
Population 15 to 6469.0%68.5%68.4%
Population over 658.5%6.1%6.4%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)454646.1

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females94.2100.199.1

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.8%4.2%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a30.1
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a37.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling2.1%2.0%2.4%
Matricn/a32.528.2
Higher education14.3%9.2%11.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households21 84821 91416 645
Average household size32.73
Female headed householdsn/a35.433.5
Formal dwellings85.4%76.6%72.2%
Housing ownedn/a66.245.9

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage97.3%89.0%84.0%
Weekly refuse removal85.2%88.6%87.7%
Piped water inside dwelling80.0%59.3%58.5%
Electricity for lighting98.6%98.7%94.0%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided23 94921 85121 63421 62820 961
Number of domestic households/delivery points23 51621 41821 20121 19520 528
Inside the yard22 83820 78120 56420 55817 992
Less than 200m from yard6786376376372 536
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service4 1323 4043 9312 3574 381

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided18 37418 30518 20518 20517 678
Domestic households with access to free basic service4 1323 4043 9317 4304 381

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided23 70623 13223 12023 11620 151
Flush toilet - public sewerage21 05720 54420 53220 52817 563
Flush toilet - septic tank2 2282 1742 1742 1742 174
Ventilated pit latrine3535353535
Bucket system00000
Other3528282828
Domestic households with access to free basic service4 1323 4043 9312 3574 381

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided22 16020 35720 35723 00023 000
Domestic households with access to free basic service4 1323 4043 9312 3574 831

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)286 329278 100266 759227 170171 580
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)6 7216 1986 2505 9085 840
Total Employee Positions705638638622637
Total Vacant Employee Positions8131287
Total Vacancy Percentage11.5%0.5%0.2%0.3%13.7%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5633121
Managerial Positions - by organogram4040404036
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00001

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans