MunicipalitiesSA

Richtersveld Local Municipality

NC061 Local Northern Cape Governed by ANC

24 235 Population Census 2022
9 608 Square kilometres 2.5 per km2
5 643 Households
11 Council seats

Richtersveld Local Municipality is a local municipality in Northern Cape, covering 9 608 square kilometres. It falls within the Namakwa District Municipality. It takes in the towns and settlements of Alexander Bay, Eksteensfontein, Kuboes, Port Nolloth, Richtersveld and Sanddrift.

Census 2022 counted 24 235 residents, making it the 21st most populous of the 31 municipalities in Northern Cape and 245th of 257 nationally. That works out to 2.5 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 5 643 households, averaging 4.3 people each. 24.1% of residents are under 15 and 6.9% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 6.0% hold a higher education qualification and 1.5% have had no schooling.

The council has 11 seats across 4 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 6 seats (54.5%). ANC governs the municipality. Mr Cornell Knoph serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Mr Joseph Cloete 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, Richtersveld scores 32.5 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 R101.6 million in operating revenue against R122.3 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R20.7 million. At the last census, 83.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 98.8% used electricity for lighting and 92.5% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 6
  • DA 3
  • EFF 1
  • NEF 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Cornell Knoph ANC
Deputy Mayor n/a
Speaker Ms Marlene Fredericks ANC
Chief Whip Mrs Cretas Thandi Sonamzi
Municipal Manager Mr Joseph Cloete
Chief Financial Officer Ms Dineo Moshobane
Mayoral Committee A Bock Ward Councillor
Mayoral Committee B Augustus Proportional
Mayoral Committee F Mabala Ward Councillor
Mayoral Committee F Thuli Proportional
Mayoral Committee M Obies Ward Councillor
Mayoral Committee R Jonker Proportional
Mayoral Committee R Thomas Ward Councillor
Mayoral Committee R van Wyk Proportional
Mayoral Committee Ms Thandi Sonamzi Ward Councillor
Senior Management Ms Beulah Williams Manager: Community Services
Senior Management Mr Ivan Cloete Manager: Infrastructure
Senior Management Ms Lara Young Manager: Municipal Support and Compliance
Senior Management Ms Lorenda Cloete Manager: Administration
Communications Mr Alex September

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified auditQualified audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates19 79618 69314 56118 00816 581
Service charges36 04221 01717 02224 44321 109
Investment revenue281512339260142
Transfers recognised - operational32 50634 16031 47622 96625 099
Other own revenue12 98617 12813 90413 5529 182
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)101 61191 50977 30279 22972 113
Employee costs43 16639 40535 31831 62829 975
Remuneration of councillors5 3475 3024 7033 8192 759
Depreciation and amortisation13 76513 04611 86211 031-
Finance charges8 3849 13610 8228 1205 420
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases24 21420 89918 48520 92418 492
Transfers and subsidies-----
Other expenditure27 41540 38923 71924 72228 040
Total Expenditure122 291128 177104 909100 24484 686
Surplus/(Deficit)-20 681-36 668-27 607-21 016-12 573
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)18 00413 56517 69727 40111 041
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-14666-36
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-2 677-22 957-9 8446 386-1 496
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-2 677-22 957-9 8446 386-1 496

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure17 71118 701173715 345
Transfers recognised - capital15 3105 831814-8 137
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds2 345823-73 190
Total sources of capital funds17 6556 654814711 327

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets39 374-896-32614 19222 184
Total non current assets219 477211 081213 651203 227192 819
Total current liabilities71 59185 86468 41362 76242 140
Total non current liabilities100 06559 41051 70341 52536 856
Community wealth/Equity89 87287 868103 053106 745137 503

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating144 431-68 883-64 226-21 185-2 031
Net cash from (used) investing-(44)---
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end144 693-47 101-13 991-13 379-17 894

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure45 46614 83023 098161 97420 050
Irregular expenditure6084 0498 16639 1308 240
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure1 3543 2306 3175 100-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population24 23512 48711 982

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1524.1%20.4%23.8%
Population 15 to 6468.9%72.4%70.2%
Population over 656.9%7.2%6.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)45.138.142.5

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females103.1113.2110.9

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum6.8%0.9%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a18.6
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a22.4

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling1.5%0.5%2.5%
Matricn/a23.718.8
Higher education6.0%7.2%6.9%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households5 6434 2113 543
Average household size4.333.4
Female headed householdsn/a37.437.3
Formal dwellings98.1%98.7%88.5%
Housing ownedn/a60.750

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage93.3%80.2%78.0%
Weekly refuse removal92.5%87.2%82.8%
Piped water inside dwelling83.3%69.7%68.6%
Electricity for lighting98.8%97.3%96.0%

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 provided4 0484 0484 0484 0443 884
Number of domestic households/delivery points3 8343 8343 8343 8303 768
Inside the yard3 8343 8343 8343 8303 761
Less than 200m from yard00007
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2061 2851 2851 2721 128

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided3 6243 5433 5363 4773 406
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2061 2851 2851 2721 128

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided4 3094 3094 3094 3053 984
Flush toilet - public sewerage2 8012 8012 8012 7972 002
Flush toilet - septic tank1 1831 1831 1831 1831 386
Ventilated pit latrine99999999153
Bucket system1212121212
Other0000315
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2061 2851 2851 2721 128

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided4 3514 3514 3514 3473 366
Domestic households with access to free basic service1 2061 2851 2851 2721 128

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)35 31831 62829 97530 63126 974
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)4 7033 8192 7592 6972 489
Total Employee Positions127122122122127
Total Vacant Employee Positions82229
Total Vacancy Percentage6.3%1.6%1.6%1.6%7.1%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5644444
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5612221
Managerial Positions - by organogram43331
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00001

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans