MunicipalitiesSA

West Coast District Municipality

DC1 District Western Cape Governed by n/a

497 394 Population Census 2022
31 118 Square kilometres 16.0 per km2
150 840 Households
25 Council seats Coalition governed

West Coast District Municipality is a district municipality in Western Cape, covering 31 118 square kilometres. It coordinates 5 local municipalities: Bergrivier, Cederberg, Matzikama, Saldanha Bay and Swartland. It takes in 47 recognised towns and settlements, among them Abbotsdale, Aurora, Bitterfontein, Chatsworth, Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Darling, Doring Bay.

Census 2022 counted 497 394 residents, making it the 4th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 55th of 257 nationally. That works out to 16.0 people per square kilometre. Population is spread thinly across the area. There are 150 840 households, averaging 3.3 people each. 23.4% of residents are under 15 and 7.1% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 9.8% hold a higher education qualification and 2.6% have had no schooling.

The council has 25 seats across 5 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 14 seats (56.0%). It is governed by a coalition: n/a. Mr Roelof Strydom serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr David Joubert 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, West Coast scores 88.1 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of A, described as strong. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “clean audit”. In 2024/25 it reported R562.2 million in operating revenue against R556.5 million in expenditure, an operating surplus of R5.6 million. At the last census, 86.3% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 95.6% used electricity for lighting and 84.0% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 14
  • ANC 7
  • GOOD 2
  • PA 1
  • VF PLUS 1

Office bearers

Mayor Mr Roelof Strydom DA
Deputy Mayor Mrs Sandra Crafford DA
Speaker Mr Nicolaas Louw DA
Chief Whip Ms Enid Plaatjies
Municipal Manager Mr David Joubert
Chief Financial Officer Mr Hendri Niehaus
Mayoral Committee Ms L Venter Community and Rural Safety
Mayoral Committee Ms Miranda Schrader Portfolio Chairperson: Infrastructure Services
Mayoral Committee Mr OM Stemele Strategic Support and Economic Development
Senior Management Mr Chris Koch Technical Services
Senior Management Mr Wilhelm Markus Director: Administration and Community Services
Communications Mr Heinrich Robertson

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEClean auditClean auditClean auditClean auditClean audit

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates-----
Service charges156 458144 135139 068134 10497 262
Investment revenue29 61527 15124 53713 86113 282
Transfers recognised - operational33 24832 06931 78727 673106 178
Other own revenue342 844351 953382 436354 549204 518
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)562 165555 308577 828530 188421 239
Employee costs254 974242 333226 116215 095208 983
Remuneration of councillors7 4196 8296 8946 8196 847
Depreciation and amortisation13 11712 13210 1218 1048 149
Finance charges10 4586565332783
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases81 11389 566116 558106 89878 777
Transfers and subsidies4501 0602 4031 0641 414
Other expenditure189 017194 086179 202153 533111 560
Total Expenditure556 549546 072541 358491 844416 512
Surplus/(Deficit)5 6169 23636 47038 3444 727
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)6523 4794 8245351 478
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)-----
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions6 26812 71541 29338 8796 205
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate---323783
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year6 26812 71541 29339 2026 988

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure59 23453 88519 47316 54110 424
Transfers recognised - capital6523 4791 38647731
Borrowing46 50223 058---
Internally generated funds11 61727 34818 08716 06410 393
Total sources of capital funds58 77153 88519 47316 54110 424

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets464 718462 585474 273461 1868 470
Total non current assets212 619164 563122 998115 1284 696
Total current liabilities74 33887 375116 598122 974-1 348
Total non current liabilities182 006125 69578 43682 5119 451
Community wealth/Equity420 993414 078402 238370 3605 084

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating-96 642-115 312114 174154 157436 298
Net cash from (used) investing-39 904-22 587-16 550-9 586-2 684
Net cash from (used) financing46 89346 893-1 500-3 000-3 000
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end273 377253 324424 868466 843430 614

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-----
Irregular expenditure10 7084236 07613 0888 652
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure-11616636316

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population497 394436 403391 766

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1523.4%25.9%25.5%
Population 15 to 6469.4%68.3%68.5%
Population over 657.1%5.8%6.0%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)44.146.545.9

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females95.79998.6

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.3%2.5%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a14.6
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a19.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling2.6%3.8%5.4%
Matricn/a29.123.7
Higher education9.8%7.6%7.8%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households150 840129 862106 780
Average household size3.33.43.7
Female headed householdsn/a32.830.2
Formal dwellings87.6%85.8%87.9%
Housing ownedn/a63.352.4

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage94.5%85.2%87.3%
Weekly refuse removal84.0%83.4%76.5%
Piped water inside dwelling86.3%79.9%78.7%
Electricity for lighting95.6%93.8%94.4%

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 provided8948948948941 006
Number of domestic households/delivery points8948948948941 006
Inside the yard8948948948941 006
Less than 200m from yard00000
More than 200m from yard00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service2023222224

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided9696969699
Domestic households with access to free basic service1516161615

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided9696969699
Flush toilet - public sewerage9696969699
Flush toilet - septic tank00000
Ventilated pit latrine00000
Bucket system00000
Other00000
Domestic households with access to free basic service1516161615

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided9696969699
Domestic households with access to free basic service1516161615

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)226 116215 095208 983176 651174 305
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)6 8946 8196 8476 4936 140
Total Employee Positions702637590581616
Total Vacant Employee Positions56550040
Total Vacancy Percentage8.0%8.6%0.0%0.0%6.5%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S5644444
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5600000
Managerial Positions - by organogram2727262626
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram00000

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans