MunicipalitiesSA

Oudtshoorn Local Municipality

WC045 Local Western Cape Governed by ANC, Advieskantoor, FF+, PA Coalition

138 257 Population Census 2022
3 540 Square kilometres 39.1 per km2
31 795 Households
25 Council seats Coalition governed

Oudtshoorn Local Municipality is a local municipality in Western Cape, covering 3 540 square kilometres. It falls within the Garden Route District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of De Rust, Dysselsdorp and Oudtshoorn.

Census 2022 counted 138 257 residents, making it the 14th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 144th of 257 nationally. That works out to 39.1 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 31 795 households, averaging 4.3 people each. 25.2% of residents are under 15 and 8.0% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 9.7% hold a higher education qualification and 2.4% have had no schooling.

The council has 25 seats across 9 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 7 seats (28.0%). It is governed by a coalition: ANC, Advieskantoor, FF+, PA Coalition. Mr Johan Allers serves as executive mayor (VF+), and Mr M Yekani 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, Oudtshoorn scores 74.3 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 R897.5 million in operating revenue against R930.7 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R33.1 million. At the last census, 85.1% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 92.3% used electricity for lighting and 86.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 7
  • DA 7
  • VF PLUS 3
  • ICOSA 2
  • PA 2
  • ADVIESKANTOOR 1
  • GOOD 1
  • OGI 1
  • SUID-KAAP SAAMSTAAN 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Johan Allers VF+
Deputy Mayor Mr Tyatya ANC
Speaker Ms S Jansen PA
Chief Whip Mr J Duvenhage
Municipal Manager Mr M Yekani
Chief Financial Officer Mr GP de Jager
Mayoral Committee A Tiemie Portfolio Chairperson: Community Services
Mayoral Committee CF Sylvester Portfolio Chairperson: Financial Services
Mayoral Committee DV Moos Portfolio Chairperson: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee L Campher Portfolio Chairperson: Planning and Development
Mayoral Committee NM Jaxa Portfolio Chairperson: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Mr CAS Avontuur Legal Services
Senior Management Mr Earl John Jantjies Acting Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Ian Avontuur Director: Community Services
Senior Management Mr J Lesch Director: Infrastructure Services
Senior Management Mr J Prinsloo Roads, Transport and Stormwater
Senior Management Mr LA Coetzee Planning and Development
Senior Management Mrs S Swart Accounting Services
Communications Mrs A Mle Media and Communications

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEClean auditFinancially unqualifiedClean auditFinancially unqualifiedFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates161 715128 895116 473104 56397 889
Service charges523 888464 000412 092406 821355 459
Investment revenue15 42614 99911 8786 8185 749
Transfers recognised - operational117 990137 929103 86596 933103 919
Other own revenue78 50965 35175 97643 27729 673
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)897 528811 174720 285658 413592 688
Employee costs323 546295 718280 368268 046261 060
Remuneration of councillors13 82012 58811 39110 87010 994
Depreciation and amortisation63 77650 91652 88445 97440 313
Finance charges20 4908 4687 9354 8904 161
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases311 736303 089229 036231 007195 231
Transfers and subsidies3 0853 4343 0453 5551 959
Other expenditure194 199137 471144 039114 22796 567
Total Expenditure930 651811 685728 698678 568610 285
Surplus/(Deficit)-33 123-511-8 413-20 155-17 596
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)32 82036 09479 98045 91159 409
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)123-72226639 067
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-17935 58372 28926 02280 880
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-17935 58372 28926 02280 880

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure114 60961 233---
Transfers recognised - capital-----
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds-----
Total sources of capital funds-----

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets297 206262 479235 091232 887189 639
Total non current assets1 223 4521 146 9161 167 6711 084 2801 009 780
Total current liabilities156 640130 644144 098129 65795 575
Total non current liabilities282 750218 615215 231241 859202 933
Community wealth/Equity1 081 4471 024 553971 144919 630820 031

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-1 966-21 218-268 425134 857286 404
Net cash from (used) investing-63 222-57 546-104 185-69 265-
Net cash from (used) financing-16 290--87
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end78 71445 749-228 672154 061-933 952

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure---20 591-
Irregular expenditure6 52825 9125 3579 93324 615
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure-----

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population138 25797 50995 933

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1525.2%27.7%28.7%
Population 15 to 6466.9%65.1%64.2%
Population over 658.0%7.2%7.2%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)49.653.755.8

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females91.392.391.8

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum3.6%0.4%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a25.3
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a35.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling2.4%2.3%4.5%
Matricn/a34.225.1
Higher education9.7%6.5%6.6%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households31 79523 36221 910
Average household size4.34.24.4
Female headed householdsn/a38.836.2
Formal dwellings89.5%91.2%88.5%
Housing ownedn/a66.461.7

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage88.5%88.1%80.4%
Weekly refuse removal86.0%87.4%78.0%
Piped water inside dwelling85.1%83.8%74.5%
Electricity for lighting92.3%90.2%85.2%

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 provided18 76416 36316 24616 23017 067
Number of domestic households/delivery points18 00215 60115 48415 46816 305
Inside the yard15 84215 23215 11515 09915 936
Less than 200m from yard2 160369369369369
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service7 0407 6157 5737 2766 841

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided17 41617 41617 31317 19717 933
Domestic households with access to free basic service7 1937 5347 5206 9626 450

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided18 23117 30716 33216 32818 833
Flush toilet - public sewerage15 33715 15415 03215 02815 257
Flush toilet - septic tank2 1606016016012 877
Ventilated pit latrine35276000
Bucket system00000
Other0577000
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 8197 3997 3917 1296 692

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided15 16614 68714 58214 56717 933
Domestic households with access to free basic service6 8197 3987 3947 1406 697

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)280 368268 046261 060234 770210 918
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)11 39110 87010 99411 21310 897
Total Employee Positions8349217467901 013
Total Vacant Employee Positions8244637285
Total Vacancy Percentage9.8%4.8%0.8%4.7%28.1%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5666556
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5603220
Managerial Positions - by organogram3333333441
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram244315

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans