# Kouga Local Municipality

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Local municipality in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Kouga Local municipality Seal Location in the Eastern Cape Coordinates: 34°02′S 24°46′E / 34.033°S 24.767°E / -34.033; 24.767 Country South Africa Province Eastern Cape District Sarah Baartman Seat Jeffreys Bay Wards 15 Government [1] • Type Municipal council • Mayor Hattingh Bornman (DA) Area • Total 2,670 km2 (1,030 sq mi) Population (2022)[2] • Total 107,041 • Density 40.1/km2 (104/sq mi) Racial makeup (2022) [2] • Black African 32.6% • Coloured 35.2% • Indian/Asian 0.3% • White 29.9% First languages (2011) [3] • Afrikaans 59.4% • Xhosa 30.5% • English 6.5% • Other 3.6% Time zone UTC+2 (SAST) Municipal code EC108

**Kouga Municipality** ([Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans_language): *Kouga Munisipaliteit*; [Xhosa](/source/Xhosa_language): *uMasipala wase Kouga*) is a [local municipality](/source/Local_municipality_(South_Africa)) in the [Eastern Cape](/source/Eastern_Cape) of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa), approximately 80 km west of [Gqebera](/source/Gqebera). It forms part of the [Sarah Baartman District Municipality](/source/Sarah_Baartman_District_Municipality). Its territory includes the coastal zone between the [Van Stadens River](/source/Van_Stadens_River) in the east and the [Tsitsikamma River](/source/Tsitsikamma_River) in the west, and stretches inland towards the Baviaanskloof Mountains in the north.

Regional access to the area is obtained via the [N2 National Route](/source/N2_road_(South_Africa)) from Gqebera to [Cape Town](/source/Cape_Town). It is often regarded as the cleanest municipality in the Eastern Cape.

## Topography and climate

[Causeway](/source/Causeway) over the Seekoei River between [Aston Bay](/source/Aston_Bay%2C_Eastern_Cape) and [Paradise Beach](/source/Paradise_Beach%2C_Eastern_Cape)

The municipality is characterised by 3 main topographical regions:

- The coastal region stretches from the Van Stadens River in the east through the Tsitsikamma River in the west. This zone includes the towns of [Jeffreys Bay](/source/Jeffreys_Bay), [St Francis Bay](/source/St_Francis_Bay), and [Oyster Bay](/source/Oyster_Bay%2C_Eastern_Cape). The coast serves as a major national and regional tourism attraction.

- The [Gamtoos River](/source/Gamtoos_River) Valley is characterised by wide, fertile flood plains associated with low-lying land, with steep less-fertile slopes flanking the Valley. The towns of [Hankey](/source/Hankey) and [Patensie](/source/Patensie), [Loerie](/source/Loerie%2C_Eastern_Cape) and [Thornhill](/source/Thornhill%2C_Kouga) are focal points of this high-potential agricultural region.

- The [Humansdorp](/source/Humansdorp) and Kruisfontein area is characterised by moderate slopes in the south, with steeper slopes towards the north and northwest.[4]

The four main rivers in the area – the Kromme, Seekoei, Kabeljouws and Gamtoos – are all tidal rivers. The Kromme River and Gamtoos River are significant sources of water supply. Ground water forms another major component of domestic water supply for towns in the Kouga region, especially Humansdorp, Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, Cape St Francis and Oyster Bay. Aquifers are also utilised in the agricultural sector for irrigation of pastures.

There are numerous areas of wetland adjacent to the region's rivers and on the coastal platform. These wetlands are extremely sensitive to disturbances such as agricultural activities and development. The wetlands accommodate high species diversity, and fulfil natural water purification and flood retention roles.

The climate of the Kouga region is [subtropical](/source/Subtropical), which makes the area conducive to a range of outdoor activities and various types of agricultural production. Rainfall varies between 650 mm per year (St Francis Bay area) to 400 mm (Gamtoos River Valley). The area is generally described as windy.[5]

## Towns and settlements

More than 70% of the population of the Kouga region lives in urban areas.[6] [Humansdorp](/source/Humansdorp), with over 24,000 residents, has an established infrastructure and acts as a regional service centre, supplying the surrounding agricultural communities and the coastal towns with commodities and services. Commercial and industrial activities of the region are centred in Humansdorp.

The coastal towns of [Jeffreys Bay](/source/Jeffreys_Bay), [St Francis Bay](/source/St_Francis_Bay), [Cape St Francis](/source/Cape_St_Francis) and [Oyster Bay](/source/Oyster_Bay%2C_Eastern_Cape) are well-established tourist destinations. Jeffreys Bay has a population of over 40,000 with an annual population growth rate of 2.5% or higher, making it one of the fastest-growing towns in South Africa.[6]

The urban areas of [Hankey](/source/Hankey) and [Patensie](/source/Patensie), situated in the Gamtoos River Valley, provide important services to the surrounding high-density agriculture industry.

Other settlements in the Kouga region include: [Andrieskraal](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrieskraal&action=edit&redlink=1), [Aston Bay](/source/Aston_Bay%2C_Eastern_Cape), [Centerton](/source/Centerton%2C_Eastern_Cape), [Gamtoos Mouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gamtoos_Mouth&action=edit&redlink=1), [Kruisfontein](/source/Kruisfontein), [Kwanomzamo](/source/Kwanomzamo), [Loerie](/source/Loerie%2C_Eastern_Cape), [Ocean View](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ocean_View,_Eastern_Cape&action=edit&redlink=1), [Oyster Bay](/source/Oyster_Bay%2C_Eastern_Cape), [Paradise Beach](/source/Paradise_Beach%2C_Eastern_Cape), [Pellsrus](/source/Pellsrus), [Ramaphoza Village](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ramaphoza_Village&action=edit&redlink=1), [Sea Vista](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sea_Vista&action=edit&redlink=1), [Thornhill](/source/Thornhill%2C_Cacadu), [Tokyo Sexwale](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tokyo_Sexwale,_Eastern_Cape&action=edit&redlink=1), [Umzamowethu](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Umzamowethu&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Weston](/source/Weston%2C_Eastern_Cape).

## Politics

Main article: [Kouga Local Municipality elections](/source/Kouga_Local_Municipality_elections)

The municipal council consists of thirty members elected by [mixed-member proportional representation](/source/Mixed-member_proportional_representation). Fifteen councillors are elected by [first-past-the-post voting](/source/First-past-the-post_voting) in fifteen [wards](/source/Ward_(South_Africa)), while the remaining fifteen are chosen from [party lists](/source/Party_list) so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

### History

Kouga Local Municipality was formed at the time of the municipal elections in December 2000, by the merger of the earlier councils of Humansdorp, Jeffrey's Bay, Hankey, Oyster Bay, Patensie and St Francis Bay. The [Democratic Alliance](/source/Democratic_Alliance_(South_Africa)) (DA), at the time a joint project of the [New National Party](/source/New_National_Party_(South_Africa)) (NNP) and the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(South_Africa)) (DP), took power after the first local elections.

The NNP withdrew from the DA in 2001 to instead align with its old rival, the [African National Congress](/source/African_National_Congress) (ANC). During the floor crossing period in 2002, one DA councillor defected to the NNP, allowing an ANC-NNP coalition to take over governance of the municipality. Kouga remained under ANC control for the next 14 years, with the party winning a comfortable victory in 2006 and narrowly retaining power after a closely fought election in 2011.

In the [election of 3 August 2016](/source/South_African_municipal_elections%2C_2016), however, the DA won a majority of seventeen seats on the council, defeating the ANC, which previously controlled the council. Elza van Lingen became the new mayor of the municipality. She died in April 2018,[7] after which speaker [Horatio Hendricks](/source/Horatio_Hendricks) took over as mayor.

Hendricks was re-elected as mayor following the [2021 municipal elections](/source/2021_South_African_municipal_elections). He resigned from office in June 2023 and deputy mayor [Hattingh Bornman](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hattingh_Bornman&action=edit&redlink=1) was elected to succeed him.[8]

The following table shows the results of the 2021 municipal election.

Party Ward List Total seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Democratic Alliance 18,097 53.11 9 18,333 53.89 7 16 African National Congress 12,538 36.80 6 12,779 37.56 5 11 Freedom Front Plus 1,047 3.07 0 1,051 3.09 1 1 Patriotic Alliance 662 1.94 0 679 2.00 1 1 Economic Freedom Fighters 618 1.81 0 641 1.88 1 1 Independent candidates 833 2.44 0 0 United Democratic Movement 106 0.31 0 277 0.81 0 0 Good 107 0.31 0 134 0.39 0 0 Compatriots of South Africa 34 0.10 0 64 0.19 0 0 The Organic Humanity Movement 25 0.07 0 28 0.08 0 0 African Transformation Movement 5 0.01 0 36 0.11 0 0 Total 34,072 100.00 15 34,022 100.00 15 30 Valid votes 34,072 98.81 34,022 98.51 Invalid/blank votes 410 1.19 513 1.49 Total votes 34,482 100.00 34,535 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 60,572 56.93 60,572 57.01 Source: [9]

## Main places

The [2001 census](/source/South_African_National_Census_of_2001) divided the municipality into the following [main places](/source/Populated_place):[10]

Place Code Area (km2) Population Most spoken language Aston Bay 20801 2.12 918 Afrikaans Cape St Francis 20802 2.51 165 Afrikaans Hankey 20803 20.24 8,281 Afrikaans Humansdorp 20804 35.94 15,338 Afrikaans Jeffreys Bay 20805 11.25 14,775 Afrikaans KwaNomzamo 20807 1.21 6,553 Xhosa Loerie 20808 0.42 1,824 Afrikaans Oyster Bay 20809 1.34 348 Afrikaans Paradise Beach 20810 3.79 492 Afrikaans Patensie 20811 6.68 4,271 Afrikaans St Francis Bay 20812 7.34 2,195 Afrikaans Sunnyside 20813 0.14 208 Afrikaans Thornhill 20814 1.46 1,294 Afrikaans Weston 20815 0.68 1,540 Xhosa Remainder of the municipality 20806 2,322.26 12,489 Afrikaans

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Plaatjies, Razaan. ["Hattingh Bornman elected as new Kouga mayor"](https://www.news24.com/news24/community-newspaper/kouga-express/hattingh-bornman-elected-as-new-kouga-mayor-20230630). *News24*. Retrieved 30 June 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-q266_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-q266_2-1) ["Kouga (Local Municipality, South Africa)"](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/eastern_cape/EC108__kouga/). *Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location*. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2024.

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)** ["Integrated Development Plan (2007–2012)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091122233524/http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF). Kouga Local Municipality. p. 19. Archived from [the original](http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Integrated Development Plan (2007–2012)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091122233524/http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF). Kouga Local Municipality. p. 20. Archived from [the original](http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-idp22_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-idp22_6-1) ["Integrated Development Plan (2007–2012)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091122233524/http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF). Kouga Local Municipality. p. 22. Archived from [the original](http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) (PDF) on 22 November 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Kouga mayor loses 9-year battle with cancer"](https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/kouga-mayor-loses-9-year-battle-with-cancer-20180419). News24. 19 April 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["NEW EXECUTIVE MAYOR ELECTED FOR KOUGA MUNICIPALITY"](https://www.kouga.gov.za/newexecutivemayorelectedfo). *www.kouga.gov.za*. Retrieved 30 June 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Kouga"](https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/EC108). *wikitable.frith.dev*. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Lookup Tables - Statistics South Africa](http://www.statssa.gov.za/census01/html/lookuptables1.zip)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

## References

- [Official website](http://www.kouga.gov.za/)

- [Official Tourism website](http://www.kougatourism.co.za)

- [Integrated Development Plan (2007–2012).](https://web.archive.org/web/20091122233524/http://www.kougamunicipality.gov.za/documents/idp/idp_0708.pdf) Kouga Local Municipality. Retrieved on 5 October 2009.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.kouga.gov.za/)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Kouga Local Municipality](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kouga_Local_Municipality).

v t e Municipalities and communities of Sarah Baartman District Municipality, Eastern Cape District seat: Gqeberha Blue Crane Route Cookhouse Kommadagga Middleton Pearston Somerset East (KwaNojoli) Sarah Baartman District within South Africa Dr Beyers Naudé Aberdeen (Xamdeboo) Adendorp (KwaMseki Bishop Limba) Graaff-Reinet (Robert Sobukwe Town) Jansenville Klipplaat Kendrew Nieu-Bethesda (KwaNoheleni) Rietbron Steytlerville Willowmore Waterford Kouga Aston Bay Cape St. Francis Hankey Humansdorp Jeffreys Bay Kruisfontein Loerie Oyster Bay Paradise Beach Patensie St Francis Bay Thornhill Kou-Kamma Clarkson Coldstream Joubertina Kareedouw Krakeel River Louterwater Misgund Stormsrivier Thornham Tweeriviere Makana Alicedale Makhanda Riebeek East Salem Ndlambe Alexandria Bathurst Boesmansriviermond Boknesstrand Cannon Rocks Cuylerville Kasouga Kenton-on-Sea Port Alfred Seafield Southwell Trappe's Valley Sunday's River Valley Addo Coerney Enon Kirkwood Paterson

v t e Municipalities of the Eastern Cape Metropolitan Buffalo City Nelson Mandela Bay District and local Sarah Baartman Blue Crane Route Dr Beyers Naudé Kou-Kamma Kouga Makana Ndlambe Sunday's River Valley Amathole Amahlathi Great Kei Mbhashe Mnquma Ngqushwa Raymond Mhlaba Chris Hani Dr AB Xuma Emalahleni Enoch Mgijima Intsika Yethu Inxuba Yethemba Sakhisizwe Joe Gqabi Elundini Senqu Walter Sisulu O.R. Tambo Ingquza Hill King Sabata Dalindyebo Kumkani Mhlontlo Nyandeni Port St. Johns Alfred Nzo Matatiele Ntabankulu Umzimvubu Winnie Madikizela-Mandela List of municipalities in the Eastern Cape

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kouga Local Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouga_Local_Municipality) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouga_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.