MunicipalitiesSA

Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality

EC101 Local Eastern Cape Governed by ANC/CSA/EFF Coalition

101 001 Population Census 2022
28 653 Square kilometres 3.5 per km2
23 318 Households
24 Council seats Coalition governed

Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality is a local municipality in Eastern Cape, covering 28 653 square kilometres. It falls within the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. It takes in 11 recognised towns and settlements, among them Bishop Limba (Adendorp), Jansenville, Kendrew, Klipplaat, Nieu-Bethesda, Rietbron, Robert Sobukwe (Graaff-Reinet), Steytlerville.

Census 2022 counted 101 001 residents, making it the 30th most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 184th of 257 nationally. That works out to 3.5 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 23 318 households, averaging 4.3 people each. 28.3% of residents are under 15 and 8.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 8.0% hold a higher education qualification and 4.2% have had no schooling.

The council has 24 seats across 5 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 11 seats (45.8%). It is governed by a coalition: ANC/CSA/EFF Coalition. Mr Willem Safers serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Dr EM Rankwana 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, Dr Beyers Naude scores 32.2 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of E, described as distressed. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “qualified audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R553.7 million in operating revenue against R666.1 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R112.5 million. At the last census, 66.9% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 97.3% used electricity for lighting and 88.7% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 11
  • DA 10
  • CSA 1
  • EFF 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Willem Safers ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Mr Cheslin Felix CSA
Chief Whip Mr Thembekile Spogter
Municipal Manager Dr EM Rankwana
Chief Financial Officer Mr J Joubert
Mayoral Committee Ms Annella Koeberg Chairperson: Municipal Public Accounts Committee
Mayoral Committee Mr Eldridge Ruiters Chairperson: Corporate Services Committee
Mayoral Committee Mr Ewald Loock Chairperson: Budget and Treasury Committee
Mayoral Committee Ms Khunjuzwa Eunice Kekana Chairperson: Community Services Committee
Mayoral Committee Mr Willem Safers Chairperson: Infrastructure Services Committee
Senior Management Mr Bennie Arends Director: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Mr Kellelo Makgoka Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr ML Mkhahlela
Senior Management Ms Zoleka Viola Kali Director: Corporate Services
Communications n/a

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualifiedQualified auditQualified audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates55 27345 51842 32339 43336 899
Service charges320 617298 726218 157237 184219 269
Investment revenue1 1171 102646308169
Transfers recognised - operational134 167123 584117 261106 712123 005
Other own revenue42 487178 12240 14419 68915 862
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)553 660647 052418 531403 325395 204
Employee costs197 688178 655165 857169 343164 305
Remuneration of councillors10 0719 9749 4169 06710 102
Depreciation and amortisation64 88960 39066 71455 72027 954
Finance charges47 09074 56057 37118 29515 118
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases161 310138 440116 624105 626101 366
Transfers and subsidies120120222017
Other expenditure184 943262 029201 118124 910122 509
Total Expenditure666 111724 168617 122482 981441 369
Surplus/(Deficit)-112 451-77 116-198 591-79 656-46 165
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)53 48759 11172 99667 37136 829
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-58 964-18 005-125 596-12 285-9 336
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-58 964-18 005-125 596-12 285-9 336

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure39 21559 637-5 27158 71639 994
Transfers recognised - capital36 67556 195-56 05334 829
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds2 2913 228-8544 907
Total sources of capital funds38 96659 423-56 90739 736

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets411 431144 60315 52358 48378 063
Total non current assets1 084 7331 104 3201 114 7781 110 1741 178 345
Total current liabilities794 410512 219583 893394 269316 678
Total non current liabilities312 792295 07985 43176 56480 669
Community wealth/Equity449 835459 630586 572710 109868 397

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating205 625174 225119 637-231 918-279 116
Net cash from (used) investing7 28710 207-14 429-51 570
Net cash from (used) financing1 582-1 188---
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end215 573184 240109 352-226 854-230 808

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure193 46698 023105 777516 86644 076
Irregular expenditure47 07461 773203 994189 97428 813
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure40 83255 58348 31563 61317 711

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population101 00182 19779 292

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1528.3%32.9%30.2%
Population 15 to 6463.6%61.1%62.9%
Population over 658.1%6.0%6.8%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)57.363.658.9

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females89.695.294.9

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.4%0.8%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/an/a
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/an/a

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling4.2%5.4%9.3%
Matricn/a25.317.6
Higher education8.0%5.3%7.6%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households23 31820 74819 922
Average household size4.344
Female headed householdsn/a40.238.7
Formal dwellings97.2%95.6%95.3%
Housing ownedn/a65.656.4

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage96.1%91.2%87.1%
Weekly refuse removal88.7%88.3%80.9%
Piped water inside dwelling66.9%52.5%56.7%
Electricity for lighting97.3%95.1%92.1%

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 provided17 91716 73816 65817 46616 535
Number of domestic households/delivery points16 88715 73415 65416 52415 550
Inside the yard16 08715 24015 16016 03715 063
Less than 200m from yard494494494487487
More than 200m from yard3060000
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 0144 2658 0388 2778 114

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided14 57413 16719 72219 11019 104
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 0144 2658 0386 0845 606

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided18 59016 55016 01616 93115 880
Flush toilet - public sewerage12 98511 32910 74511 66011 660
Flush toilet - septic tank2 2472 2472 2472 247343
Ventilated pit latrine00505050
Bucket system00000
Other2 5912 2072 2072 207987
Domestic households with access to free basic service5 8583 9887 5297 4357 030

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided15 87215 87217 11216 93115 977
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 0764 2677 7207 5077 475

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)165 857169 343164 305157 952153 937
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)9 4169 06710 1029 4549 370
Total Employee Positions1 0614805401 029616
Total Vacant Employee Positions5760849679
Total Vacancy Percentage54.3%0.0%1.5%48.2%12.8%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5655554
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600332
Managerial Positions - by organogram2924212120
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram60500

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans