MunicipalitiesSA

Cape Winelands District Municipality

DC2 District Western Cape Governed by DA

862 703 Population Census 2022
21 478 Square kilometres 40.2 per km2
242 283 Households
41 Council seats

Cape Winelands District Municipality is a district municipality in Western Cape, covering 21 478 square kilometres. It coordinates 5 local municipalities: Breede Valley, Drakenstein, Langeberg, Stellenbosch and Witzenberg. It takes in 28 recognised towns and settlements, among them Ashton, Bonnievale, Ceres, De Doorns, Franschhoek, Gouda, Gouda, Hermon.

Census 2022 counted 862 703 residents, making it the 2nd most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 26th of 257 nationally. That works out to 40.2 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 242 283 households, averaging 3.6 people each. 22.3% of residents are under 15 and 6.6% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 15.2% hold a higher education qualification and 3.3% have had no schooling.

The council has 41 seats across 7 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 23 seats (56.1%). DA governs the municipality. Dr Helena von Schlicht serves as executive mayor (DA), and Henry Prins is 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, Cape Winelands DM scores 99.6 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of A, described as strong. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “clean audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R512.5 million in operating revenue against R462.1 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R50.4 million. At the last census, 87.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.1% used electricity for lighting and 85.6% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 23
  • ANC 10
  • Good 3
  • VF Plus 2
  • BO 1
  • EFF 1
  • PA 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Dr Helena von Schlicht DA
Deputy Mayor Margaret Sampson DA
Speaker Donovan Joubert DA
Chief Whip Thys Blom
Municipal Manager Henry Prins
Chief Financial Officer Fiona du Raan-Groenewald Financial Services
Mayoral Committee Clara Meyer MMC: Disaster Management
Mayoral Committee Deon Carinus MMC: Infrastructure Services
Mayoral Committee Esther Groenewald MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Koos Steyn MMC: Economic Development
Mayoral Committee Minnie Petersen MMC: Rural and Social Development
Mayoral Committee Reggie Farao MMC: Fire Services
Mayoral Committee Xoliswa Mdemka MMC: Municipal Health
Senior Management Christo Swart Deputy Director: Project and Waste Management
Senior Management Gail Julie Director: Human Resources
Senior Management Gayle Daniels Deputy Director: LED
Senior Management Ingrid Barnard Executive Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Pietie Williams Executive Director: Community Development and Planning Services
Senior Management Rhian van Wyk Director: Economic Development and Tourism
Senior Management Mrs Sarah Sanders Deputy Director: Legal Services
Senior Management Yuri Levendal Acting Executive Director: Technical Services
Communications Mrs Jo-Anne Otto Deputy Director: Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEClean auditClean auditClean auditClean auditClean audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges-----
Investment revenue86 56689 96262 99940 29538 232
Transfers recognised - operational272 374265 526256 948253 669245 867
Other own revenue153 565130 632130 373117 640117 160
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)512 505486 120450 319411 604401 259
Employee costs256 198241 636221 174218 979213 079
Remuneration of councillors15 24514 58713 60712 74512 657
Depreciation and amortisation8 64811 7189 2679 7889 238
Finance charges2 4621 904---
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases31 34725 04836 91521 45228 215
Transfers and subsidies14 18713 79512 40016 98812 173
Other expenditure134 024155 108107 20697 92189 677
Total Expenditure462 111463 796400 569377 873365 040
Surplus/(Deficit)50 39422 32449 75033 73136 218
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)8071 76381754214
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)---929-
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions51 20124 08750 56734 71436 432
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year51 20124 08750 56734 71436 432

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure104 41239 69020 7363 1335 602
Transfers recognised - capital7451 66681754214
Borrowing90 888----
Internally generated funds12 77938 02419 9192 1505 389
Total sources of capital funds104 41239 69020 7362 2045 602

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets532 715506 247713 177844 308794 505
Total non current assets687 313561 924336 839154 247163 455
Total current liabilities80 43053 95454 70648 60248 336
Total non current liabilities228 721154 540144 626149 836144 709
Community wealth/Equity910 877859 677850 684800 117755 190

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-138 113-180 780379 899414 909-2 846
Net cash from (used) investing-114 754-244 141-174 020--1 441
Net cash from (used) financing53 150-3--
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end224 529218 620996 2101 181 063712 705

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-----
Irregular expenditure26---1 486
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure679-0--

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population862 703866 001787 486

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1522.3%26.6%25.8%
Population 15 to 6471.1%68.9%69.0%
Population over 656.6%4.4%5.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)40.745.144.9

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females94.198.397.2

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum0.9%2.2%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/an/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/an/a

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling3.3%2.5%4.4%
Matricn/a3023.5
Higher education15.2%9.0%10.5%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households242 283235 906198 258
Average household size3.63.74
Female headed householdsn/a34.233.2
Formal dwellings88.8%81.0%82.3%
Housing ownedn/a48.741.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage96.2%93.5%91.0%
Weekly refuse removal85.6%81.8%79.9%
Piped water inside dwelling87.1%77.3%75.9%
Electricity for lighting97.1%94.1%92.8%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Number of domestic households/delivery points00000
Inside the yard00000
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Flush toilet - public sewerage00000
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)221 174218 979213 079202 286178 159
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)13 60712 74512 65712 61012 171
Total Employee Positions422498421423470
Total Vacant Employee Positions29988342
Total Vacancy Percentage6.9%19.7%1.9%0.7%8.9%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5644444
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600000
Managerial Positions - by organogram4343434343
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram39831

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans