MunicipalitiesSA

Sarah Baartman District Municipality

DC10 District Eastern Cape Governed by n/a

533 253 Population Census 2022
58 244 Square kilometres 9.2 per km2
158 404 Households
11 Council seats Coalition governed

Sarah Baartman District Municipality is a district municipality in Eastern Cape, covering 58 244 square kilometres. It coordinates 7 local municipalities: Blue Crane Route, Dr Beyers Naude, Kouga, Kou-Kamma, Makana, Ndlambe and Sundays River Valley. It takes in 48 recognised towns and settlements, among them Addo, Alexandria, Alicedale, Bathurst, Bishop Limba (Adendorp), Boknes/Cannon Rocks, Bushmans River, Cape St Francis.

Census 2022 counted 533 253 residents, making it the 7th most populous of the 39 municipalities in Eastern Cape and 49th of 257 nationally. That works out to 9.2 people per square kilometre. The population is very sparsely distributed across a large area. There are 158 404 households, averaging 3.4 people each. 23.8% of residents are under 15 and 10.3% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 11.7% hold a higher education qualification and 4.9% have had no schooling.

The council has 11 seats across 2 parties, with ANC holding the largest share at 6 seats (54.5%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Deon Wesley de Vos serves as executive mayor (ANC), and Ms Unati Daniels 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, Sarah Baartman scores 79.9 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 R131.2 million in operating revenue against R155.8 million in expenditure, an operating deficit of R24.6 million. At the last census, 64.4% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.2% used electricity for lighting and 85.1% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • ANC 6
  • DA 5

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Deon Wesley de Vos ANC
Speaker Ms Nomhle Gaga ANC
Chief Whip Mr Athenkosi Diniso
Municipal Manager Ms Unati Daniels
Chief Financial Officer Ms Themba Mbukushe Acting Director: Finance and Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Athenkosi Diniso Portfolio: Infrastructure Development and Community Services
Mayoral Committee Ms Charlene Tarin Booysen Portfolio: Finance
Mayoral Committee Ms Nomalungisa Koba Portfolio: Planning and Economic Development
Mayoral Committee Mr Phindile Faxi Portfolio: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Mr Simphiwe Rune Portfolio: Special Programmes
Senior Management Mr D Magxwalisa Director: Planning and Economic Development
Senior Management Ms Fundiswa Antony Senior Manager: Legal Services
Senior Management Mr Graham Terblanche Senior Manager: Performance
Senior Management Mr Lundi Nqawa Corporate Services
Senior Management Ms Olwethu Kwababana Director: Infrastructure Development and Community Services
Communications Ms Natasha Peterson Communications Officer

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

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

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges-----
Investment revenue17 54019 79716 87710 87510 118
Transfers recognised - operational116 047145 022114 249112 436105 651
Other own revenue-2 40415 8037 29525 7487 984
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)131 184180 623138 421149 059123 753
Employee costs59 85055 00253 71650 85647 262
Remuneration of councillors8 3577 9656 9427 0037 187
Depreciation and amortisation3 7082 7202 2653 2252 199
Finance charges-----
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases--200-127
Transfers and subsidies25 74824 71027 88022 72221 350
Other expenditure58 14790 22547 41833 86361 220
Total Expenditure155 810180 623138 421117 669139 345
Surplus/(Deficit)-24 6260031 390-15 592
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)-----
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions-24 6260031 390-15 592
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year-24 6260031 390-15 592

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure3 2666 4093 6564 57211 788
Transfers recognised - capital---127127
Borrowing-----
Internally generated funds3 2666 4093 6524 44210 023
Total sources of capital funds3 2666 4093 6524 56910 150

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets187 122213 004213 950223 560238 230
Total non current assets50 41150 98047 54946 83648 309
Total current liabilities76 59887 30769 57373 303112 855
Total non current liabilities-----
Community wealth/Equity185 561176 677191 926197 093189 275

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating2 462-9087851 940-2 582
Net cash from (used) investing-----
Net cash from (used) financing-----
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end212 294209 625218 197217 479207 356

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-----
Irregular expenditure7112 3661 4819981 718
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure4128723-

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population533 253479 923450 584

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1523.8%30.1%27.2%
Population 15 to 6465.9%63.6%65.8%
Population over 6510.3%6.3%7.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)51.757.152

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females90.796.895.6

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum1.6%1.4%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a24.9
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a31.4

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling4.9%4.8%7.5%
Matricn/a24.520.3
Higher education11.7%6.4%8.0%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households158 404138 182125 628
Average household size3.43.53.6
Female headed householdsn/a4038.5
Formal dwellings90.9%87.1%85.7%
Housing ownedn/a53.849.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage87.7%77.2%73.6%
Weekly refuse removal85.1%83.0%78.7%
Piped water inside dwelling64.4%48.1%51.0%
Electricity for lighting95.2%91.0%87.3%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Number of domestic households/delivery points00000
Inside the yard00000
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Flush toilet - public sewerage00000
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?NoNoNoNoNo
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service00000

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)53 71650 85647 26242 59738 478
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)6 9427 0037 1876 3907 398
Total Employee Positions9098907998
Total Vacant Employee Positions7164716
Total Vacancy Percentage7.8%16.3%4.4%8.9%16.3%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5677774
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5633340
Managerial Positions - by organogram1515151512
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram40133

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans