MunicipalitiesSA

Mossel Bay Local Municipality

WC043 Local Western Cape Governed by DA

140 075 Population Census 2022
2 001 Square kilometres 70.0 per km2
52 985 Households
29 Council seats

Mossel Bay Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 2 001 square kilometres. It falls within the Garden Route District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Boggoms Bay, Brandwag, Friemersheim, Great Brak River, Herbertsdale, Mossel Bay and Vleesbaai.

Census 2022 counted 140 075 residents, making it the 12th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 141st of 257 nationally. That works out to 70.0 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 52 985 households, averaging 2.6 people each. 17.9% of residents are under 15 and 15.4% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 18.0% hold a higher education qualification and 2.1% have had no schooling.

The council has 29 seats across 6 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 18 seats (62.1%). DA governs the municipality. Mr Dirk Kotzé serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr Colin Puren 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, Mossel Bay scores 80.4 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of B, described as sound. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “clean audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R1.7 billion in operating revenue against R1.7 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R26.2 million. At the last census, 90.2% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 98.2% used electricity for lighting and 92.5% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 18
  • ANC 5
  • PA 2
  • VF PLUS 2
  • ACDP 1
  • ICOSA 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Dirk Kotzé DA
Mayor n/a
Deputy Mayor Mr Clifford Bayman DA
Speaker Ms Venolea Fortuin DA
Chief Whip Mr Stephan Botha Council Whip
Municipal Manager Mr Colin Puren
Chief Financial Officer Mr Selwyn Thys
Mayoral Committee Mr Anton Dellemijn MMC: Infrastructure Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Leon Van Dyk MMC: Community Safety
Mayoral Committee Mr Mark Furness MMC: Financial Services
Mayoral Committee Ms Nicolette le Roux MMC: Corporate and Governance Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Niklaas Booisen MMC: Community Services
Senior Management Ms Annette Potgieter Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Carel Venter Director: Planning and Economic Development
Senior Management Mr Dick Naidoo Director: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Ms Elize Nel Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr H Williamson Manager: Traffic and Law Enforcement and Acting Director: Community Safety
Communications Ms Cornelle Carstens-Johnston

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 rates252 828218 627192 123170 542159 206
Service charges1 070 287969 491890 391873 716789 284
Investment revenue62 52466 21655 08636 95632 192
Transfers recognised - operational160 678173 442142 490138 008191 385
Other own revenue175 880146 221137 121147 38774 894
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 722 1961 573 9971 417 2111 366 6101 246 960
Employee costs450 320413 020374 162350 355343 245
Remuneration of councillors15 87814 41913 41412 80611 812
Depreciation and amortisation145 715150 488137 954368 54197 795
Finance charges36 60426 64213 59315 93614 292
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases728 222630 401540 682513 494436 561
Transfers and subsidies11 45810 99011 5297 8416 188
Other expenditure360 174343 803289 207316 060317 805
Total Expenditure1 748 3721 589 7631 380 5411 585 0331 227 698
Surplus/(Deficit)-26 175-15 76636 671-218 42219 263
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)55 46057 37984 39656 29774 699
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)2 02980 3453 0991135 567
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions31 314121 958124 166-162 01399 528
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year31 314121 958124 166-162 01399 528

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure635 308597 946398 315422 209471 573
Transfers recognised - capital48 36650 52173 41549 05771 217
Borrowing112 21189 23135 17424 11238 828
Internally generated funds186 557131 420130 845113 981117 838
Total sources of capital funds347 135271 172239 434187 150227 883

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets813 175815 944835 880757 299713 754
Total non current assets3 855 3633 440 5033 200 4913 082 6203 146 948
Total current liabilities487 336430 107388 833352 934348 368
Total non current liabilities597 000474 932422 890390 883346 281
Community wealth/Equity3 552 8883 229 4513 100 4833 258 1153 066 524

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating936 1621 168 4461 179 486637 779599 458
Net cash from (used) investing-368 998-293 332-154 943-129 290-47 219
Net cash from (used) financing--(3 891)(14 747)-
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end1 147 8801 488 8381 608 7361 047 2981 313 403

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure6 233-2 155237 07914 869
Irregular expenditure49 26725 4632 7371 21443 118
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure27----

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population140 07594 13589 430

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1517.9%22.7%23.1%
Population 15 to 6466.7%66.5%66.8%
Population over 6515.4%10.8%10.1%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)5050.449.7

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females93.594.695.8

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum4.4%1.2%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a22.9
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a29.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling2.1%2.6%2.9%
Matricn/a37.631.9
Higher education18.0%10.0%13.0%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households52 98531 76628 023
Average household size2.633.2
Female headed householdsn/a3633.9
Formal dwellings92.5%88.2%85.9%
Housing ownedn/a76.860.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage97.1%91.1%90.9%
Weekly refuse removal92.5%87.2%92.6%
Piped water inside dwelling90.2%82.4%77.9%
Electricity for lighting98.2%94.3%93.8%

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 provided42 64342 15441 20740 76239 998
Number of domestic households/delivery points40 34839 85938 83538 39037 776
Inside the yard40 34839 85938 83538 39037 776
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service10 2676 4237 8637 65726 771

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided40 41438 70838 20537 33137 331
Domestic households with access to free basic service13 3379 0929 7479 64410 874

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided42 91541 52840 13539 51538 385
Flush toilet - public sewerage31 84030 45329 69129 55728 317
Flush toilet - septic tank5 2925 2925 2925 2925 292
Ventilated pit latrine00044
Bucket system159159126126126
Other3 2403 2402 6422 1522 262
Domestic households with access to free basic service9 9495 9457 1897 12310 508

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided37 88536 43835 86234 74434 331
Domestic households with access to free basic service10 3686 4477 8007 58811 256

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)374 162350 355343 245295 683299 014
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)13 41412 80611 81211 89911 483
Total Employee Positions1 1491 1121 0821 0811 052
Total Vacant Employee Positions74546659
Total Vacancy Percentage6.4%4.9%0.6%0.6%5.6%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5677777
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5611010
Managerial Positions - by organogram2424292929
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00652

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans