MunicipalitiesSA

Saldanha Bay Local Municipality

WC014 Local Western Cape Governed by Hung Council

154 635 Population Census 2022
2 015 Square kilometres 76.7 per km2
50 559 Households
27 Council seats

Saldanha Bay Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 2 015 square kilometres. It falls within the West Coast District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Hopefield, Jacobsaai, Langebaan, Paternoster, Saldanha, St Helena Bay and Vredenburg.

Census 2022 counted 154 635 residents, making it the 10th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 131st of 257 nationally. That works out to 76.7 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 50 559 households, averaging 3.1 people each. 23.6% of residents are under 15 and 7.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 11.3% hold a higher education qualification and 1.4% have had no schooling.

The council has 27 seats across 8 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 13 seats (48.1%). Hung Council governs the municipality. n/a serves as executive mayor, and Mr Heinrich Mettler 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, Saldanha Bay scores 93.4 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 R1.7 billion in operating revenue against R1.6 billion in expenditure, an operating surplus of R57.8 million. At the last census, 86.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 94.7% used electricity for lighting and 89.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 13
  • ANC 4
  • GOOD 4
  • EFF 2
  • CCC 1
  • MK 1
  • PA 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Mayor n/a
Deputy Mayor Ms Charmaine Laubscher DA
Speaker Ms Olwene Daniels DA
Chief Whip Mr Michael Schaffers
Municipal Manager Mr Heinrich Mettler
Chief Financial Officer Mr Stefan Vorster
Mayoral Committee Ms Charmaine Laubscher Portfolio: Infrastructure and Planning Services
Mayoral Committee Ms Eventhia Vaughan Portfolio: Economic Development and Strategic Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Jaco Kotzé Portfolio: Finance Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Michael Schaffers Portfolio: Corporate Services and Public Safety
Mayoral Committee Ms Sinah Mamabolo Portfolio: Office of Municipal Manager
Mayoral Committee Mr Wilhelm America Portfolio: Community and Operational Services
Senior Management Ms Cornell de Kock Director: Economic Development and Strategic Services
Senior Management Mr Louis Volschenk Director: Community and Operational Services
Senior Management Mr Phumzile Mbaliswana Acting: Technical Director
Communications Ms Ethne Lawrence

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 rates356 498327 316296 888260 793244 188
Service charges949 569854 622776 854741 275668 290
Investment revenue79 75576 85858 80535 90529 331
Transfers recognised - operational155 456151 967133 788128 507125 086
Other own revenue157 252150 339147 71486 75377 186
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 698 5291 561 1011 414 0481 253 2321 144 081
Employee costs524 082501 290467 046437 924425 232
Remuneration of councillors14 39513 99112 87412 69012 307
Depreciation and amortisation176 567166 693145 030137 493156 242
Finance charges19 79421 07621 71320 09917 848
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases587 272518 989454 073415 017356 922
Transfers and subsidies6001 4851 5171 3413 053
Other expenditure318 020270 752253 552205 137146 507
Total Expenditure1 640 7301 494 2761 355 8041 229 7001 118 112
Surplus/(Deficit)57 79966 82658 24423 53225 970
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)48 70243 19136 45939 78929 971
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)64 93220 50412 3023 66723 337
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions171 434130 521107 00566 98879 278
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year171 434130 521107 00566 98879 278

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure284 015239 346217 429146 592221 551
Transfers recognised - capital44 48339 77033 05436 27850 431
Borrowing1 1023 8459 4028 2662 332
Internally generated funds173 497175 227162 69998 381168 789
Total sources of capital funds219 083218 842205 155142 925221 551

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets1 222 5561 093 065979 825959 066835 015
Total non current assets3 114 3113 004 7742 940 6272 879 6842 895 731
Total current liabilities356 790302 941243 112243 286237 077
Total non current liabilities306 407292 660300 631320 280293 996
Community wealth/Equity3 673 6703 502 2373 376 7093 272 4083 199 673

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating154 676240 031115 625161 7071 082 268
Net cash from (used) investing-197 455-218 963-191 408-139 246-183 383
Net cash from (used) financing-9 057-8 230-7 25517 750-12 153
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end796 229794 484686 595705 134368 198

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-2 568---
Irregular expenditure-34 1171 1501 145428
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure1921-25

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population154 635111 17399 193

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1523.6%25.6%25.3%
Population 15 to 6469.3%69.0%69.5%
Population over 657.1%5.5%5.2%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)44.34544

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females97.810099.2

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum4.3%2.6%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a23.4
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a30.4

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling1.4%2.5%2.4%
Matricn/a3028.4
Higher education11.3%6.3%8.7%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households50 55935 55028 833
Average household size3.13.13.4
Female headed householdsn/a32.930.4
Formal dwellings87.7%74.8%81.7%
Housing ownedn/a72.462.1

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage93.2%82.6%96.2%
Weekly refuse removal89.0%86.5%96.6%
Piped water inside dwelling86.7%74.8%80.2%
Electricity for lighting94.7%85.9%97.0%

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 provided36 02034 36330 62330 20430 056
Number of domestic households/delivery points34 00732 35028 61028 19128 191
Inside the yard34 00732 35028 61028 19128 191
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 1109 3909 1678 5897 384

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided36 01734 28931 93131 66627 260
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 4109 7949 0068 4737 174

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided37 08735 68331 94331 02833 378
Flush toilet - public sewerage33 53132 35028 61028 19130 825
Flush toilet - septic tank1 5431 3201 320824824
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 0169 2298 8587 9916 849

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided37 29933 45531 15431 15431 154
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 6649 9529 5548 8727 424

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)467 046437 924425 232371 812345 304
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)12 87412 69012 30712 35211 833
Total Employee Positions9889881 0361 0011 118
Total Vacant Employee Positions000295
Total Vacancy Percentage0.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%8.5%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666666
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600021
Managerial Positions - by organogram8383818183
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00005

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans