Swellendam Local Municipality

Swellendam
Local municipality

Seal

Location in the Western Cape
Coordinates: 34°00′S 20°30′E / 34.000°S 20.500°E / -34.000; 20.500Coordinates: 34°00′S 20°30′E / 34.000°S 20.500°E / -34.000; 20.500
Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
District Overberg
Seat Swellendam
Wards 5
Government[1]
 • Type Municipal council
 • Mayor N.G. Myburgh (DA)
Area
 • Total 3,835 km2 (1,481 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 35,916
 • Density 9.4/km2 (24/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 12.4%
 • Coloured 68.8%
 • Indian/Asian 0.3%
 • White 17.4%
First languages (2011)[3]
 • Afrikaans 85.1%
 • Xhosa 6.9%
 • English 4.7%
 • Other 3.3%
Time zone SAST (UTC+2)
Municipal code WC034

Swellendam Municipality is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2011 it had a population of 35,916.[2] Its municipality code is WC034.

Geography

The municipality covers an area of 3,835 square kilometres (1,481 sq mi) around the lower Breede River Valley, from the confluence of the confluence of the Breede River and Sonderend River downstream to the Breede River mouth on the Indian Ocean. It also extends westwards up the Sonderend River and northwards across the Langeberg mountains into the Little Karoo around the Warmwaterberg. The municipality abuts on the Cape Agulhas Municipality to the south, the Theewaterskloof Municipality to the west, the Langeberg Municipality to the northwest, the Kannaland Municipality to the northeast and the Hessequa Municipality to the east.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 35,916 people in 10,139 households. Of this population, 68.8% describe themselves as "Coloured", 17.4% as "White", and 12.4% as "Black African". The first language of 85.1% of the population is Afrikaans, while 6.9% speak Xhosa and 4.7% speak English.[4]

The principal town and location of the municipal headquarters is Swellendam, which as of 2011 had a population of 17,537. Suurbraak (pop. 2,252) is situated east of Swellendam at the southern end of Tradouws Pass which cuts through the Langeberg, while Barrydale (pop. 4,156) is at the other end of the pass on the edge of the Little Karoo. Buffeljagsrivier (pop. 1,439) is situated southeast of Swellendam on the river of the same name. Malgas (pop. 44) is located at a pontoon ferry on the Breede River, the last crossing of the river before it reaches the ocean. Infanta (pop. 90) is situated at the mouth of the river on its southern bank.

Conservation areas

The most significant conservation areas are:

Politics

The municipal council consists of eleven members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Six councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in six wards, while the remaining five are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 3 August 2016, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a majority of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.[5][6]

Party Votes Seats
Ward List Total % Ward List Total
Democratic Alliance 5,865 5,916 11,781 47.9 2 4 6
African National Congress 5,484 5,490 10,974 44.7 4 1 5
Freedom Front Plus 260 247 507 2.1 0 0 0
Independent Civic Organisation 158 151 309 1.3 0 0 0
Civic Independent 133 128 261 1.1 0 0 0
Economic Freedom Fighters 106 110 216 0.9 0 0 0
Community and Workers Alliance 98 106 204 0.8 0 0 0
African Christian Democratic Party 103 101 204 0.8 0 0 0
Independent 117 – 117 0.5 0 – 0
Total 12,324 12,249 24,573 100.0 6 5 11
Spoilt votes 137 165 302

The local council sends one representative, a member of the Democratic Alliance, to the council of the Overberg District Municipality.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Council Members". Swellendam Municipality online. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. ↑ "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. ↑ "Swellendam Local Municipality". Census 2011.
  5. ↑ "Results Summary – All Ballots: Swellendam" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Seat Calculation Detail: Swellendam" (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Political composition of councils" (PDF). Western Cape Department of Local Government. August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
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