# Knysna Local Municipality

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Local municipality in Western Cape, South Africa

Knysna Local municipality Seal Location of Knysna within the Western Cape Coordinates: 34°00′S 23°00′E / 34.000°S 23.000°E / -34.000; 23.000 Country South Africa Province Western Cape District Garden Route Seat Knysna Wards 10 Government [1] • Type Municipal council • Mayor Thando Matika (ANC) • Deputy Mayor Morton Gericke (PBI) • Speaker Mark Willemse (KIM) Area • Total 1,109 km2 (428 sq mi) Population (2022)[2] • Total 96,055 • Density 86.61/km2 (224.3/sq mi) Racial makeup (2022) [2] • Black African 41.3% • Coloured 34.8% • Indian/Asian 0.4% • White 21.8% First languages (2011) [3] • Afrikaans 51.2% • Xhosa 28.4% • English 15.4% • Other 5% Time zone UTC+2 (SAST) Municipal code WC048

**Knysna Municipality** ([Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans_language): *Knysna Munisipaliteit*; [Xhosa](/source/Xhosa_language): *uMasipala wase Knysna*) is a [local municipality](/source/Local_municipality_(South_Africa)) within the [Garden Route District Municipality](/source/Garden_Route_District_Municipality), in the [Western Cape](/source/Western_Cape) province of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). As of 2022, its population is 96,055. Its municipal code is WC048.

## Geography

The municipality covers an area of 1,109 square kilometres (428 sq mi) between the [Indian Ocean](/source/Indian_Ocean) and the [Outeniqua Mountains](/source/Outeniqua_Mountains) around the town of Knysna. It abuts on the [George Municipality](/source/George_Municipality) to the north and west, and on the [Bitou Municipality](/source/Bitou_Municipality) to the east.

## Demographics

According to the 2022 census, 96,055 people lived in the municipality, which had an average growth rate of 3.3% annually from 2011. The racial breakdown of the population was 41.3% "[Black African](/source/Black_South_African)," 34.8% "[Coloured](/source/Coloureds)," and 21.8% "[White](/source/White_South_Africans)."[4]

Most of the residents of the municipality live in the town of [Knysna](/source/Knysna), which as of 2011 has a population of 51,078.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Knysna is situated on the shores of the [Knysna Lagoon](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Knysna_Lagoon&action=edit&redlink=1); other coastal settlements are [Sedgefield](/source/Sedgefield%2C_Western_Cape) (pop. 8,361) and [Buffelsbaai](/source/Buffelsbaai) (pop. 71).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Away from the coast are agricultural settlements at [Rheenendal](/source/Rheenendal) (pop. 3,936) and [Karatara](/source/Karatara) (pop. 880).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The municipality is also home to the informal settlement of [Bongani](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bongani,_South_Africa&action=edit&redlink=1).[5] On 2 August 2020, municipal authorities razed some of the shacks in the Bongani area, upsetting some residents.[5] On 11 November 2025, a wildfire destroyed somewhere between 14 and 20 structures in Bongani, [Concordia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Concordia,_Knysna&action=edit&redlink=1), and Khayalethu.[6]

## History

At the end of the [apartheid](/source/Apartheid) era, the area that is today the Knysna Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of [Knysna](/source/Knysna) and [Sedgefield](/source/Sedgefield%2C_Western_Cape) were governed by municipal councils elected by their [white](/source/White_South_African) residents. The [coloured](/source/Coloured) residents of Hornlee (Knysna) and Smutsville (Sedgefield) were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. [Rheenendal](/source/Rheenendal) was also governed by a management committee. [Kwanonqaba](/source/Kwanonqaba) was governed by a town council established under the [Black Local Authorities Act, 1982](/source/Black_Local_Authorities_Act%2C_1982). The coastal resorts of [Buffelsbaai](/source/Buffelsbaai), [Belvidere Estate](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belvidere_Estate&action=edit&redlink=1), [Brenton-on-Sea](/source/Brenton-on-Sea) and [Noetzie](/source/Noetzie) were governed by local councils.

After the [national elections of 1994](/source/South_African_general_election%2C_1994) a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In October 1994 Knysna TLC replaced the Municipality of Knysna and Hornlee Management Committee. In December 1994 Sedgefield TLC replaced the Municipality of Sedgefield, Smutsville Management Committee and Buffelsbaai Local Council. These transitional councils were made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations. In October 1995 the local councils of Belvidere Estate, Brenton-on-Sea and Noetzie, and the Rheenendal Management Committee, were all converted to TLCs without negotiations and with the existing councillors retained in office.

In May 1996 [elections were held](/source/1995%E2%80%9396_South_African_municipal_elections) for all the TLCs. At the time of these elections the South Cape District Council was established in place of the South Cape RSC, and transitional representative councils (TRCs) were elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council. The area to become Knysna Municipality included part of the Outeniqua TRC.

At the [local elections of December 2000](/source/South_African_municipal_election%2C_2000) the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Knysna Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the South Cape District Council was dissolved and replaced by the [Eden District Municipality](/source/Eden_District_Municipality). In 2011 the Hoogekraal Plantation area north of Sedgefield was transferred from George Municipality to Knysna Municipality.

## Politics

This article is part of a series on the Politics of the Western Cape Constitution List of acts of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Executive Premier The Hon Alan Winde MMP Provincial Cabinet Provincial Parliament Western Cape Parliament The Seventh Provincial Parliament Speaker Daylin Mitchell MMP Deputy Speaker Reagan Allen MMP Chief Whip of the Majority Party Gillon Bosman MMP Leader of the Opposition Khalid Sayed MMP Chief Whip of the Official Opposition Ayanda Bans MMP Political Parties DA ANC EFF GOOD ACDP FF+ ALJAMA Judiciary Western Cape Division Administrative divisions List of municipalities in the Western Cape Elections Provincial: 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024 Municipal: 2000 2006 2011 2016 2021 Related topics Cape Independence Cape Liberal Tradition Other provinces Politics of the Eastern Cape Politics of the Free State Politics of Gauteng Politics of KwaZulu-Natal Politics of Limpopo Politics of Mpumalanga Politics of the Northern Cape Politics of North West Politics of the Western Cape Other countries v t e

Main article: [Knysna Local Municipality elections](/source/Knysna_Local_Municipality_elections)

The municipal council consists of twenty-one members elected by [mixed-member proportional representation](/source/Mixed-member_proportional_representation). Eleven councillors are elected by [first-past-the-post voting](/source/First-past-the-post_voting) in eleven [wards](/source/Ward_(South_Africa)), while the remaining ten are chosen from [party lists](/source/Party_list) so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the [election of 1 November 2021](/source/2021_South_African_municipal_elections) no party obtained a majority of seats on the council. The [Democratic Alliance](/source/Democratic_Alliance_(South_Africa)) (DA) then formed a minority coalition government with the Knysna Independent Movement (KIM). At the first council meeting on 22 November 2021, the DA's Julie Lopes was elected speaker, followed by the DA's [Levael Davis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Levael_Davis&action=edit&redlink=1) as mayor and [Mark Willemse](/source/Mark_Willemse) from KIM as deputy mayor with the help of the lone councillor from the [Economic Freedom Fighters](/source/Economic_Freedom_Fighters) (EFF).[7]

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[8]

Knysna local election, 1 November 2021 Party Votes Seats Ward List Total % Ward List Total Democratic Alliance 8,176 8,421 16,597 35.4% 5 3 8 African National Congress 7,660 7,889 15,549 33.2% 6 1 7 Knysna Independent Movement 1,901 1,797 3,698 7.9% 0 2 2 Patriotic Alliance 1,725 1,729 3,454 7.4% 0 2 2 Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners 1,109 1,052 2,161 4.6% 0 1 1 Economic Freedom Fighters 558 610 1,168 2.5% 0 1 1 Independent candidates 573 – 573 1.2% 0 – 0 14 other parties 1,840 1,797 3,637 7.8% 0 0 0 Total 23,542 23,295 46,837 11 10 21 Valid votes 23,542 23,295 46,837 98.3% Spoilt votes 361 458 819 1.7% Total votes cast 23,903 23,753 47,656 Voter turnout 23,906 Registered voters 42,790 Turnout percentage 55.9%

### History

Joy Cole was first elected mayor under the DA in December 2000 but defected in the September 2004 floor-crossing to become an [ANC](/source/African_National_Congress)-aligned independent and reconstituted the council under ANC control. Cole formed a broad-based coalition of the ANC and DA after the March 2006 local government elections when neither party had obtained an outright majority. After Cole resigned in December 2006 to pursue another career, Doris Wakeford-Brown of the DA formed a multi-party coalition. This short-lived coalition collapsed in May 2007 when the Knysna Civic Alliance switched allegiances to the ANC, which brought Eleanore Bouw-Spies in as the new mayor. In the September 2007 floor crossing window the two civic party councillors defected to the ANC, giving the party an outright majority of 9 seats out of 16. Bouw-Spies' term as mayor ended when the DA won an absolute majority in the 2011 election and Georlene Wolmarans was elected mayor. In the 2016 election the DA fell short of an absolute majority, but formed a coalition with the ACDP and an independent councillor. Bouw-Spies, who had crossed to the DA in 2014, returned for a second term as mayor.[9]

Bouw-Spies was removed as mayor after an ANC-initiated vote of no confidence in June 2018. The motion was supported by two DA councillors, Mark Willemse and Peter Myers. Willemse was then elected as the new mayor with COPE member Ricky van Aswegen as deputy mayor.[10] The DA has instituted disciplinary action against its two members, but the matter has dragged on into 2019 without a solution as of yet.

### Mayors

- [Charles Thobi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Thobi&action=edit&redlink=1) (2002–2004)

- [Joy Cole](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joy_Cole&action=edit&redlink=1) (December 2000 – September 2004) (DA)

- Joy Cole (September 2004 – March 2006) (Independent)

- Joy Cole (March 2006 – December 2006) (ANC)

- [Doris Wakeford-Brown](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doris_Wakeford-Brown&action=edit&redlink=1) (December 2006 – May 2007) (DA)

- [Eleanore Bouw-Spies](/source/Eleanore_Bouw-Spies) (May 2007 – May 2011) (ANC)

- [Georlene Wolmarans](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Georlene_Wolmarans&action=edit&redlink=1) (May 2011 – August 2016) (DA)

- [Eleanore Bouw-Spies](/source/Eleanore_Bouw-Spies) (August 2016 – June 2018) (DA)

- [Mark Willemse](/source/Mark_Willemse) (June 2018 – September 2019) (DA)

- [Elrick van Aswegen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elrick_van_Aswegen&action=edit&redlink=1) (June 2020 - November 2021) (Cope) [11]

- Levael Davis (November 2021 - August 2022) (DA) [12]

- Aubrey Tsengwa (August 2022 - February 2025) (ANC)[13]

- Thando Matika (February 2025 - present) (ANC)[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-muni_mayor_1-0)** ["Contact list: Executive Mayors"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100714013749/http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/gcis_list.jsp?id=14&heading=Executive%20Mayors). Government Communication & Information System. Archived from [the original](http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/gcis_list.jsp?id=14&heading=Executive%20Mayors) on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-n516_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-n516_2-1) ["Knysna (Local Municipality, South Africa)"](https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC048__knysna/). *Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location*. 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2024-08-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-muni_population_3-0)** ["Statistics by place"](http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=964). Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Knysna (Local Municipality, South Africa) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location"](https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC048__knysna/). *citypopulation.de*. Retrieved 2025-11-23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) ["Bongani shacks illegal, maintains Knysna Municipality"](https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Local-News/bongani-shacks-illegal-maintains-knysna-municipality-202008130855). *Knysna-Plett Herald*. Retrieved 2026-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Fire razes up to 20 structures in Bongani, Concordia and Khayalethu"](https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Local-News/fire-razes-up-to-20-structures-in-bongani-concordia-and-khayalethu-202511110940). *Knysna-Plett Herald*. Retrieved 2026-04-27.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hunter, Zintle Mahlati, Juniour Khumalo, Jan Gerber and Qaanitah. ["New political era: DA reaps the rewards as opposition parties kick ANC to the curb"](https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/new-political-era-da-reaps-the-rewards-as-opposition-parties-kick-anc-to-the-curb-20211123). *News24*. Retrieved 2021-11-23.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Knysna"](https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/WC048/short). *wikitable.frith.dev*. Retrieved 2021-11-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["DA falls short of a majority in Knysna"](http://citizen.co.za/news/news-national/1239960/da-falls-short-of-a-majority-in-knysna/). *The Citizen*. ANA. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2017.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Mark Willemse new Executive Mayor of Knysna"](https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/mark-willemse-new-executive-mayor-of-knysna-201806060903). *Knysna-Plett Herald*. Retrieved 2023-11-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [https://showme.co.za/knysna/news/newly-appointed-knynsa-mayors-inaugural-address/](https://showme.co.za/knysna/news/newly-appointed-knynsa-mayors-inaugural-address/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["New mayor, deputy mayor elected for Knysna | Knysna-Plett Herald"](https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/new-mayor-deputy-mayor-elected-for-knysna-202111220408). *www.knysnaplettherald.com*. Retrieved 2025-11-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [https://iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/2022-08-31-da-kicked-out-of-knysna-council--anc-pa-and-eff-take-control/](https://iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/2022-08-31-da-kicked-out-of-knysna-council--anc-pa-and-eff-take-control/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Knysna's new mayor determined to put politics aside and fix the town"](https://www.theherald.co.za/news/2025-02-28-knysnas-new-mayor-determined-to-put-politics-aside-and-fix-the-town/). *www.theherald.co.za*. Retrieved 2025-11-23.

## External links

- [Knysna Municipality official site](http://www.knysnamunicipality.co.za)

v t e Municipalities and communities of Garden Route District Municipality, Western Cape District seat: George Bitou Harkerville Keurboomstrand Kranshoek Kurland Estate Nature's Valley Plettenberg Bay Wittedrif Garden Route District within South Africa George Avontuur Bergplaas De Vlugt George Haarlem Herold Herolds Bay Hoekwil Pacaltsdorp Touwsranten Twee Rivieren Uniondale Victoria Bay Wilderness Woodville Hessequa Albertinia Gouritsmond Groot-Jongensfontein Heidelberg Port Beaufort Puntjie Riversdale Slangrivier Stilbaai Vermaaklikheid Witsand Kannaland Amaliënstein Calitzdorp Ladismith Vanwyksdorp Zoar Knysna Bracken Hill Brenton-on-Sea Buffelsbaai Farleigh Gouna Karatara Knysna Rheenendal Sedgefield Mossel Bay Boggomsbaai Brandwag Danabaai Friemersheim Glentana Great Brak River Hartenbos Herbertsdale Jonkersberg Little Brak River Mossel Bay Ruiterbos Vleesbaai Oudtshoorn De Hoop De Rust Dysselsdorp Matjiesrivier Oudtshoorn Schoemanshoek Volmoed

v t e Municipalities of the Western Cape Metropolitan City of Cape Town District and local West Coast Matzikama Cederberg Bergrivier Saldanha Bay Swartland Cape Winelands Witzenberg Drakenstein Stellenbosch Breede Valley Langeberg Overberg Theewaterskloof Overstrand Cape Agulhas Swellendam Garden Route Kannaland Hessequa Mossel Bay George Oudtshoorn Bitou Knysna Central Karoo Laingsburg Prince Albert Beaufort West List of municipalities in the Western Cape

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Knysna Local Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knysna_Local_Municipality) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knysna_Local_Municipality?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.