Breede Valley Local Municipality
212 682
Population
Census 2022
3 834
Square kilometres
55.5 per km2
54 284
Households
41
Council seats
Breede Valley Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 3 834 square kilometres. It falls within the Cape Winelands District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of De Doorns, Rawsonville, Touws River and Worcester.
Census 2022 counted 212 682 residents, making it the 8th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 109th of 257 nationally. That works out to 55.5 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 54 284 households, averaging 3.9 people each. 23.4% of residents are under 15 and 6.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 10.7% hold a higher education qualification and 4.1% have had no schooling.
The council has 41 seats across 8 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 19 seats (46.3%). Hung Council governs the municipality. Ms Antoinette Steyn serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr David McThomas 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, Breede Valley scores 81.2 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 R1.5 billion in operating revenue against R1.5 billion in expenditure, an operating deficit of R20.7 million. At the last census, 84.7% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.2% used electricity for lighting and 83.4% had refuse removed weekly.
Council and management
Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections
- DA 19 46.3%
- ANC 10 24.4%
- BO 4 9.8%
- EFF 2 4.9%
- GOOD 2 4.9%
- VF PLUS 2 4.9%
- ACDP 1 2.4%
- PA 1 2.4%
Office bearers
Executive Mayor
Ms Antoinette Steyn
DA
Deputy Mayor
Mr Juben von Willingh
DA
Speaker
Mr Johannes van Zyl
DA
Chief Whip
Mr Pieter Marais
Municipal Manager
Mr David McThomas
Chief Financial Officer
Mr Rod Ontong
Mayoral Committee
Ms Esmé Botha
MMC: Public Services
Mayoral Committee
Ms Felicity Vaughan
MMC: Strategic Support Services
Mayoral Committee
Mr Joffrey Jack
MMC: Engineering Services
Mayoral Committee
Mr Julian Kritzinger
MMC: LED and Tourism
Mayoral Committee
Ms Naomi Nel
MMC: Community Services
Mayoral Committee
Ms Palesa Moso
MMC: Housing and Human Settlements
Mayoral Committee
Mr Vernon Bedworth
MMC: Sports and Culture
Mayoral Committee
Mr Wouter Meiring
MMC: Finance
Senior Management
Mr Ammaar Moerat
Planning Development and Integrated Services
Senior Management
Mr Colin January
Manager: LED
Senior Management
Mr Henk Benecke
Acting Manager: Electrical Services
Senior Management
Mr Jean De Villiers
Director: Planning, Development, and Integrated Services
Senior Management
Adv Mandisi Planga
Director: Community Services
Senior Management
Mr R Esau
Director: Strategic Support Services
Communications
Mr Chad Malgas
Manager: IDP, PMS and Communications
Communications
Ms Hannelie Botha
Communications
Mr John Bulani
Senior Communications Officer
Finances
National Treasury, audited outcomes
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT OUTCOME | Clean audit | Clean audit | Clean audit | Clean audit | Clean audit |
Financial performance
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property rates | 210 182 | 197 548 | 180 018 | 173 037 | 155 977 |
| Service charges | 925 659 | 807 823 | 717 458 | 725 043 | 644 056 |
| Investment revenue | 18 942 | 18 373 | 14 384 | 11 227 | 9 358 |
| Transfers recognised - operational | 197 152 | 185 954 | 171 643 | 152 932 | 168 007 |
| Other own revenue | 116 956 | 144 076 | 188 741 | 70 010 | 93 451 |
| Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions) | 1 468 893 | 1 353 773 | 1 272 244 | 1 132 249 | 1 070 848 |
| Employee costs | 423 577 | 423 650 | 366 251 | 335 127 | 319 700 |
| Remuneration of councillors | 21 229 | 20 467 | 19 066 | 18 315 | 18 421 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | 107 385 | 101 941 | 94 561 | 88 566 | 88 561 |
| Finance charges | 36 371 | 31 254 | 19 437 | 20 974 | 22 351 |
| Inventory consumed and bulk purchases | 583 555 | 504 806 | 423 971 | 424 257 | 363 591 |
| Transfers and subsidies | 3 154 | 3 069 | 3 419 | 3 767 | 4 452 |
| Other expenditure | 314 348 | 311 171 | 309 678 | 245 007 | 254 371 |
| Total Expenditure | 1 489 618 | 1 396 358 | 1 236 383 | 1 136 012 | 1 071 447 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) | -20 726 | -42 585 | 35 861 | -3 764 | -599 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations) | 65 896 | 97 746 | 67 525 | 55 756 | 52 583 |
| Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind) | - | - | 17 917 | - | 800 |
| Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions | 45 170 | 55 162 | 121 303 | 51 992 | 52 784 |
| Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Surplus/(Deficit) for the year | 45 170 | 55 162 | 121 303 | 51 992 | 52 784 |
Capital expenditure & funds sources
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital expenditure | 180 888 | 234 621 | 286 631 | 144 592 | 141 045 |
| Transfers recognised - capital | 65 896 | 97 746 | 67 525 | 55 635 | 53 383 |
| Borrowing | 34 938 | 56 598 | 104 458 | - | - |
| Internally generated funds | 80 054 | 80 276 | 80 919 | 87 462 | 71 205 |
| Total sources of capital funds | 180 888 | 234 621 | 252 902 | 143 097 | 124 588 |
Financial position
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total current assets | 640 659 | 476 719 | 302 484 | 312 411 | 218 022 |
| Total non current assets | 2 918 968 | 2 844 646 | 2 706 911 | 2 515 060 | 2 569 831 |
| Total current liabilities | 508 704 | 364 049 | 174 022 | 192 902 | 178 951 |
| Total non current liabilities | 578 445 | 530 343 | 464 488 | 427 581 | 469 588 |
| Community wealth/Equity | 2 472 477 | 2 426 974 | 2 370 884 | 2 206 988 | 2 139 313 |
Cash flows
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net cash from (used) operating | 554 272 | 646 650 | 1 144 904 | -78 743 | -226 618 |
| Net cash from (used) investing | -193 583 | -195 966 | -64 332 | 4 | -85 533 |
| Net cash from (used) financing | 141 | -42 | - | - | - |
| Cash/cash equivalents at the year end | 579 503 | 609 640 | 1 261 456 | 112 024 | -165 432 |
Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorised expenditure | - | - | - | - | - |
| Irregular expenditure | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fruitless & wasteful expenditure | - | - | - | - | - |
Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1
People
Statistics South Africa, Census
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 212 682 | 176 578 | 166 825 |
Age structure
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population under 15 | 23.4% | 29.0% | 27.8% |
| Population 15 to 64 | 70.5% | 66.4% | 66.9% |
| Population over 65 | 6.1% | 4.7% | 5.3% |
Dependency ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 (15-64) | 41.9 | 50.7 | 49.5 |
Sex ratio
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Males per 100 females | 93.3 | 94.3 | 94.5 |
Population growth
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per annum | 2.4% | 1.3% | n/a |
Labour market
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (official) | n/a | n/a | 14.4 |
| Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34 | n/a | n/a | 20.2 |
Education (aged 20 +)
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No schooling | 4.1% | 2.6% | 4.9% |
| Matric | n/a | 33.3 | 24.9 |
| Higher education | 10.7% | 5.6% | 8.1% |
Household dynamics
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 54 284 | 47 569 | 42 527 |
| Average household size | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| Female headed households | n/a | 37 | 35.3 |
| Formal dwellings | 87.7% | 77.7% | 77.9% |
| Housing owned | n/a | 42.3 | 40.6 |
Household services
| Measure | 2022 | 2016 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 94.9% | 87.3% | 88.2% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 83.4% | 77.7% | 75.3% |
| Piped water inside dwelling | 84.7% | 70.8% | 69.3% |
| Electricity for lighting | 97.2% | 92.1% | 88.3% |
Service delivery
National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities
Water
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 36 018 | 35 261 | 35 205 | 31 954 | 30 689 |
| Number of domestic households/delivery points | 34 474 | 33 717 | 33 702 | 30 327 | 29 074 |
| Inside the yard | 22 984 | 22 227 | 21 608 | 20 860 | 29 074 |
| Less than 200m from yard | 11 490 | 11 490 | 12 094 | 9 467 | 0 |
| More than 200m from yard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 7 999 | 9 820 | 8 296 | 9 430 | 8 596 |
Electricity
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 29 299 | 28 945 | 27 239 | 25 552 | 25 526 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 7 999 | 9 820 | 9 556 | 9 430 | 8 596 |
Sewerage and sanitation
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 25 106 | 24 927 | 24 631 | 22 906 | 25 648 |
| Flush toilet - public sewerage | 22 406 | 22 227 | 21 608 | 20 033 | 19 994 |
| Flush toilet - septic tank | 88 | 88 | 411 | 408 | 89 |
| Ventilated pit latrine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bucket system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 847 | 847 | 847 | 700 | 3 800 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 7 999 | 9 820 | 9 556 | 9 430 | 8 596 |
Solid waste services
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the municipality provide? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided | 22 571 | 22 340 | 22 265 | 21 923 | 21 859 |
| Domestic households with access to free basic service | 7 999 | 9 820 | 9 556 | 9 430 | 8 596 |
Staffing
National Treasury
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Costs (R’000) | 366 251 | 335 127 | 319 700 | 297 258 | 278 623 |
| Remuneration of councillors (R’000) | 19 066 | 18 315 | 18 421 | 18 413 | 17 675 |
| Total Employee Positions | 1 053 | 1 004 | 886 | 879 | 1 078 |
| Total Vacant Employee Positions | 183 | 109 | 4 | 9 | 182 |
| Total Vacancy Percentage | 17.4% | 10.9% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 16.9% |
| Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S56 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Managerial Positions - by organogram | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 |
| Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 4 |
Published documents
Hosted by National Treasury