MunicipalitiesSA

Swartland Local Municipality

WC015 Local Western Cape Governed by DA

148 331 Population Census 2022
3 708 Square kilometres 40.0 per km2
44 856 Households
22 Council seats

Swartland Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 3 708 square kilometres. It falls within the West Coast District Municipality. It takes in 12 recognised towns and settlements, among them Abbotsdale, Chatsworth, Darling, Grotto Bay, Kalbaskraal, Koringberg, Malmesbury, Moorreesburg.

Census 2022 counted 148 331 residents, making it the 11th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 134th of 257 nationally. That works out to 40.0 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 44 856 households, averaging 3.3 people each. 23.4% of residents are under 15 and 7.2% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 11.0% hold a higher education qualification and 3.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 22 seats across 5 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 13 seats (59.1%). DA governs the municipality. Mr Harold Cleophas serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr Joggie Scholtz 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, Swartland scores 98.7 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 R1.3 billion in operating revenue against R1.1 billion in expenditure, an operating surplus of R178.7 million. At the last census, 90.6% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.8% used electricity for lighting and 82.8% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 13
  • ANC 5
  • VF PLUS 2
  • EFF 1
  • GOOD 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Harold Cleophas DA
Deputy Mayor Ms Anet de Beer DA
Speaker Mr Michael Rangasamy DA
Chief Whip n/a
Municipal Manager Mr Joggie Scholtz
Chief Financial Officer Mr Mark Bolton
Mayoral Committee Mr AK Warnick Protection Services and Mayco Member
Mayoral Committee Ms Cornelle O'Kennedy Chairperson: MPAC
Mayoral Committee Ms Desiree de Beer Development Services and Mayco Member
Mayoral Committee Ms Nicolene Smit Municipal Manager, Administration and Finance and Mayco Member
Mayoral Committee Mr Tijmen van Essen Civil and Electrical Services and Mayco Member
Senior Management Mr Henry Witbooi Director: Protection Services
Senior Management Ms Jo-Ann Krieger Director: Development Services
Senior Management Mr Louis Zikman Director: Civil Engineering Services
Senior Management Mrs Madelaine Terblanche Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Ms Olivia Fransman Strategic Manager
Senior Management Mr Thys Moller Director: Electrical Engineering Services
Communications Ms Mart-Marie Haasbroek

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 rates200 765163 175152 117141 486133 192
Service charges714 148630 655523 091522 402468 607
Investment revenue95 89984 76458 93935 48936 438
Transfers recognised - operational169 683171 662173 875173 492138 068
Other own revenue107 382128 78888 60174 57770 873
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)1 287 8781 179 044996 623947 446847 177
Employee costs339 021315 709291 892265 587247 048
Remuneration of councillors12 59812 00511 24010 92910 857
Depreciation and amortisation103 497111 90392 87897 55093 433
Finance charges9 90312 33515 65515 73813 954
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases468 421395 466341 642332 320284 045
Transfers and subsidies3 4864 4244 2463 7742 989
Other expenditure172 283177 876176 978186 385128 122
Total Expenditure1 109 2091 029 718934 531912 284780 449
Surplus/(Deficit)178 669149 32562 09235 16266 728
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)232 022113 47069 97647 16175 058
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-3076 143--
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions410 692263 102138 21282 323141 786
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year410 692263 102138 21282 323141 786

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure520 804314 058163 977174 902241 351
Transfers recognised - capital218 403113 48669 84146 90675 841
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds116 468115 417118 792418 350142 246
Total sources of capital funds334 871228 902188 633465 256218 087

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets990 846633 236861 367794 751751 363
Total non current assets2 912 4602 683 4832 234 4372 184 1642 104 640
Total current liabilities287 101130 320121 941132 06799 162
Total non current liabilities199 419180 345228 053224 232221 271
Community wealth/Equity3 416 7873 006 0552 745 8102 622 6162 535 569

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating1 920 291982 0471 006 794299 485566 631
Net cash from (used) investing-297 852-513 135-134 931-125 821-15 848
Net cash from (used) financing-3 489-49 318-14 012-8 463-1 086
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end2 089 4411 141 6121 522 940805 4051 075 024

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure--5 55611 71713 258
Irregular expenditure9 84913 870436-15 407
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure----11

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population148 331133 762113 762

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1523.4%25.3%25.0%
Population 15 to 6469.4%69.1%69.1%
Population over 657.2%5.5%5.9%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)44.144.744.7

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females9498.798.6

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.6%3.7%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a12.7
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a17.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling3.6%4.9%6.0%
Matricn/a32.224.2
Higher education11.0%8.9%9.2%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households44 85639 13929 324
Average household size3.33.43.9
Female headed householdsn/a30.428.5
Formal dwellings89.5%94.6%90.9%
Housing ownedn/a6552.3

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage96.8%86.2%90.8%
Weekly refuse removal82.8%83.5%76.1%
Piped water inside dwelling90.6%84.0%80.6%
Electricity for lighting97.8%98.7%97.8%

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 provided31 63822 98122 85322 40522 405
Number of domestic households/delivery points30 08921 43221 43220 98420 984
Inside the yard29 87621 43221 43220 98420 984
Less than 200m from yard2130000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service9 1899 5659 2988 9278 923

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided19 52219 12718 68018 68018 316
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 4228 2318 2507 9817 930

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided30 28124 73023 92923 87220 928
Flush toilet - public sewerage24 66521 43221 43220 77718 436
Flush toilet - septic tank3 8871 6358341 432829
Ventilated pit latrine370000
Bucket system00000
Other290000
Domestic households with access to free basic service8 8568 9548 8838 5258 435

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided22 26522 11221 69420 52620 526
Domestic households with access to free basic service9 2059 2469 2168 8518 746

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)291 892265 587247 048219 470193 002
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)11 24010 92910 85710 89110 369
Total Employee Positions678659637618571
Total Vacant Employee Positions3819101324
Total Vacancy Percentage5.6%2.9%1.6%2.1%4.2%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5677777
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5650000
Managerial Positions - by organogram3636383825
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram1621000

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans