MunicipalitiesSA

Knysna Local Municipality

WC048 Local Western Cape Governed by ANC/PBI/EFF Coalition

96 055 Population Census 2022
1 109 Square kilometres 86.6 per km2
32 398 Households
21 Council seats Coalition governed

Knysna Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 1 109 square kilometres. It falls within the Garden Route District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Brenton, Brenton-on-Sea, Buffels Bay, Knoetzie, Knysna, Rheenendal and Sedgefield.

Census 2022 counted 96 055 residents, making it the 18th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 189th of 257 nationally. That works out to 86.6 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 32 398 households, averaging 3.0 people each. 20.9% of residents are under 15 and 12.3% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 14.5% hold a higher education qualification and 2.2% have had no schooling.

The council has 21 seats across 6 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 8 seats (38.1%). It is governed by a coalition: ANC/PBI/EFF Coalition. Mr Thando Matika serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Lulamile Mapholoba 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, Knysna scores 53.7 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of D, described as under strain. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R1.2 billion in operating revenue against R1.1 billion in expenditure, an operating surplus of R183.5 million. At the last census, 82.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 93.9% used electricity for lighting and 89.3% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 8
  • ANC 7
  • KIM 2
  • PA 2
  • EFF 1
  • PBI 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Thando Matika ANC
Deputy Mayor Mr Morton Gericke PBI
Speaker Mr Mark Willemse KIM
Chief Whip Mr Mboneli Khumelwana
Municipal Manager Mr Lulamile Mapholoba
Chief Financial Officer Mr Clifford Julies
Mayoral Committee Ms Kay Andrews MayCo Member: Finance and Governance
Mayoral Committee Mr Neil Louw MayCo Member: Integrated Human Settlements
Mayoral Committee Mr Pindile Petros MayCo Member: Community Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Russel Arends MayCo Member: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Ms Andiswa Dunywa Director: Planning and Economic Development
Senior Management Mr Johnny Douglas Director: Community Services
Senior Management Ms Marlene Boyce Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Reginald Wesso Director: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Dr Richard Martin Director: Integrated Human Settlements
Communications Mr Christopher Bezuidenhout Manager: Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedQualified auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates347 194311 563260 889245 277227 434
Service charges577 241507 564440 283440 218400 195
Investment revenue4 6392 1312 0141 9823 210
Transfers recognised - operational156 298145 452133 960145 369177 945
Other own revenue157 849163 258163 96743 844147 731
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 243 2201 129 9681 001 113876 691956 515
Employee costs313 368301 319292 469273 732279 130
Remuneration of councillors9 6849 8219 7879 0278 781
Depreciation and amortisation47 21358 01859 438-39 993
Finance charges37 74838 89635 27623 29423 154
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases326 759300 704296 765259 285241 177
Transfers and subsidies1 3841 1181 9341 5435 988
Other expenditure323 608299 286379 485250 096355 341
Total Expenditure1 059 7651 009 1631 075 153816 978953 564
Surplus/(Deficit)183 455120 805-74 04059 7132 951
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)41 14464 67438 90144 48246 419
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)----1 169
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions224 599185 479-35 139104 19550 539
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year224 599185 479-35 139104 19550 539

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure55 39582 64710 812124 90772 620
Transfers recognised - capital43 19666 027-43 6971 020
Borrowing2 37511 179-74 552-
Internally generated funds10 3645 441-6 65728
Total sources of capital funds55 93582 647-124 9071 048

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets398 454291 934174 092263 099290 194
Total non current assets1 567 1121 571 3011 546 9861 553 5721 437 330
Total current liabilities328 504270 917286 169187 797242 899
Total non current liabilities378 017420 861448 900424 882381 596
Community wealth/Equity1 034 447985 9781 021 1491 099 7951 052 491

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-1 750205 928260 882151 364-1 433 076
Net cash from (used) investing-60 085-87 345-91 501-108 3295 343
Net cash from (used) financing-37 637-8 747-30 593-31 456-30 035
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end-75 863130 193179 31253 909-1 417 451

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure25 55258 19958 91350 9379 922
Irregular expenditure92 209142 81171 65963 84567 700
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure55-2 89011632

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population96 05573 83568 659

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1520.9%24.8%24.8%
Population 15 to 6466.9%67.1%66.9%
Population over 6512.3%8.2%8.3%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)49.649.149.5

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females95.397.997.9

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum3.3%1.7%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a24.8
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a32.3

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling2.2%3.7%2.6%
Matricn/a32.429.7
Higher education14.5%10.8%12.3%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households32 39825 87721 893
Average household size32.93.1
Female headed householdsn/a37.234.3
Formal dwellings83.7%80.4%73.8%
Housing ownedn/a7058.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage90.6%82.0%76.1%
Weekly refuse removal89.3%93.1%93.0%
Piped water inside dwelling82.6%75.5%67.3%
Electricity for lighting93.9%93.7%88.8%

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 provided28 76928 58726 79225 96725 668
Number of domestic households/delivery points28 11727 93526 14025 31525 016
Inside the yard22 86722 86722 76421 89921 899
Less than 200m from yard3 4043 4043 3763 4163 117
More than 200m from yard1 8461 664000
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 8371 8371 6891 9341 720

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided30 45423 46123 46123 46123 461
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 5351 5351 6891 9341 720

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided30 13428 67828 67827 17826 752
Flush toilet - public sewerage23 24321 78721 78721 78721 787
Flush toilet - septic tank3 1133 1133 1133 1132 687
Ventilated pit latrine1 5411 5411 5411 5411 541
Bucket system00000
Other1 5851 5851 5858585
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 8371 8371 6891 9341 720

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided23 00018 06418 06418 06418 064
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 8371 8371 6891 9341 720

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)292 469273 732279 130248 691231 406
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)9 7879 0278 7818 1088 570
Total Employee Positions748753750702985
Total Vacant Employee Positions4088852101
Total Vacancy Percentage5.4%11.7%11.3%0.3%10.3%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666665
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5624410
Managerial Positions - by organogram2929262526
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram33015

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans