# Mossel Bay Local Municipality

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Local municipality in Western Cape, South Africa

Mossel Bay Mosselbaai Local municipality Seal Location in the Western Cape Coordinates: 34°05′S 22°00′E / 34.083°S 22.000°E / -34.083; 22.000 Country South Africa Province Western Cape District Garden Route Seat Mossel Bay Wards 14 Government [1] • Type Municipal council • Mayor Dirk Kotzé (DA) Area • Total 2,011 km2 (776 sq mi) Population (2022)[2] • Total 140,075 • Density 69.65/km2 (180.4/sq mi) Racial makeup (2022) [2] • Black African 29.4% • Coloured 34.5% • Indian/Asian 0.3% • White 34.1% First languages (2011) [3] • Afrikaans 67.6% • Xhosa 21.5% • English 6.5% • Sotho 1.3% • Other 3.1% Time zone UTC+2 (SAST) Municipal code WC043 Website mosselbay.gov.za

**Mossel Bay Municipality** ([Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans_language): *Mosselbaai Munisipaliteit*; [Xhosa](/source/Xhosa_language): *uMasipala wase Mossel Bayi*) 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[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mossel_Bay_Local_Municipality&action=edit), the population was 140,075.[2]

## Geography

The municipality covers an area of 2,011 square kilometres (776 sq mi) on the coastal plain between the [Outeniqua Mountains](/source/Outeniqua_Mountains) and the sea. It stretches from the [Gourits River](/source/Gourits_River) in the west to beyond the [Great Brak River](/source/Great_Brak_River_(river)) in the east. It is drained by the Gourits, [Hartenbos](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hartenbos_River&action=edit&redlink=1), [Little Brak](/source/Little_Brak_River_(river)) and [Great Brak](/source/Great_Brak_River_(river)) Rivers. It abuts on the [Hessequa Municipality](/source/Hessequa_Municipality) to the west, the [Oudtshoorn Municipality](/source/Oudtshoorn_Municipality) to the north and the [George Municipality](/source/George_Municipality) to the east.

## Demographics

The [2022 South African census](/source/2022_South_African_census) reported a population of 140,075 people in the municipality. This represented an average annual increase of 4.4% from 2011. Those identifying as "[Coloured](/source/Coloureds)" comprised 34.5% of the population, followed by "[Whites](/source/White_South_Africans)" at 34.1%, and "[Black Africans](/source/Black_South_Africans)," at 29.4%. With over one-third of the population identifying as White, Mossel Bay had a higher proportion of Whites than any other municipality in South Africa.[4]

According to the [2011 census](/source/South_African_National_Census_of_2011) the municipality has a population of 89,430 people in 28,025 households. Of this population, 43.5% describe themselves as "[Coloured](/source/Coloured)", 29.5% as "[Black African](/source/Bantu_peoples_in_South_Africa)", and 25.5% as "[White](/source/White_South_African)". The [first language](/source/First_language) of 67.6% of the population is [Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans), while 21.5% speak [Xhosa](/source/Xhosa_language), 6.5% speak [English](/source/English_language) and 1.3% speak [Sotho](/source/Sotho_language).[5]

The principal town is [Mossel Bay](/source/Mossel_Bay) on the [Cape St Blaize](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cape_St_Blaize&action=edit&redlink=1) peninsula, which as of 2011 has a population of 59,031.[6] Northeast of Mossel Bay is a string of coastal resorts along the shores of the bay: [Hartenbos](/source/Hartenbos) (pop. 4,196), [Little Brak River](/source/Little_Brak_River_(town)) (pop. 2,037), [Reebok](/source/Reebok%2C_Western_Cape) (pop. 1,112), [Tergniet](/source/Tergniet) (pop. 1,264) and [Great Brak River](/source/Great_Brak_River_(town)) (pop. 10,619). To the southwest of Mossel Bay are the smaller coastal villages of [Boggomsbaai](/source/Boggomsbaai) (pop. 69) and [Vleesbaai](/source/Vleesbaai) (pop. 193). [Herbertsdale](/source/Herbertsdale) (pop. 666), [Brandwag](/source/Brandwag%2C_Mossel_Bay) (pop. 1,470) and [Friemersheim](/source/Friemersheim) (pop. 1,235) are situated in the interior of the municipality closer to the mountains.

## History

At the end of the [apartheid](/source/Apartheid) era, the area that is today the Mossel Bay Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of [Mossel Bay](/source/Mossel_Bay), [Hartenbos](/source/Hartenbos), [Great Brak River](/source/Great_Brak_River_(town)) and [Herbertsdale](/source/Herbertsdale) were governed by municipal councils elected by their [white](/source/White_South_African) residents. The [coloured](/source/Coloured) residents of [D'Almeida](/source/D'Almeida) (Mossel Bay) and Great Brak River were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. [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 smaller coastal resorts were governed by local councils: a council for [Boggomsbaai](/source/Boggomsbaai), a council covering [Little Brak River](/source/Little_Brak_River_(town)), [Reebok](/source/Reebok%2C_Western_Cape) and [Tergniet](/source/Tergniet), and another council named Gleniqua covering [Glentana](/source/Glentana), [Outeniquastrand](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Outeniquastrand&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Bothastrand](/source/Bothastrand). The former missionary settlement of [Friemersheim](/source/Friemersheim) was governed by a board of management.

While the [negotiations to end apartheid](/source/Negotiations_to_end_apartheid_in_South_Africa) were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In March 1992, the Municipality of Great Brak River, the Great Brak River Management Committee and the Gleniqua Local Council merged into a single Municipality for the Area of Great Brak River.

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. The smaller seaside resorts were also combined with larger towns.

- Herbertsdale TLC replaced the Municipality of Herbertsdale in December 1994.

- Friemersheim TLC replaced the Friemersheim Management Board in January 1995.

- Mossel Bay TLC replaced the Municipalities of Mossel Bay and Hartenbos, the D'Almeida Management Committee, the Kwanonqaba Town Council, the Boggomsbaai Local Council, and the Klein Brak River, Reebok and Tergniet Local Council in February 1995.

- Great Brak River TLC replaced the Municipality for the Area of Great Brak River in February 1995.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when [elections were held](/source/1995%E2%80%9396_South_African_municipal_elections). 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 that was to become Mossel Bay Municipality included the Mossel Bay TRC and a small 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 Mossel Bay 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).

## 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: [Mossel Bay Local Municipality elections](/source/Mossel_Bay_Local_Municipality_elections)

The municipal council consists of twenty-nine 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 fourteen are chosen from [party lists](/source/Party_list) so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

Marie Ferreira of the [Democratic Alliance](/source/Democratic_Alliance_(South_Africa)) (DA) became executive mayor after the March 2006 local government elections when the DA formed a coalition with [Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa](/source/Independent_Civic_Organisation_of_South_Africa) (ICOSA) since no single party had obtained an outright majority. The DA held 10 seats in the (then) 23-seat council followed by 8 for the [African National Congress](/source/African_National_Congress) (ANC) and 3 for ICOSA. Following the September 2007, floor-crossing window the DA gained an outright majority when 3 councillors defected to the DA resulting in the DA holding 13 seats out of 23 while the ANC lost a seat to the DA and currently has 7. ICOSA lost its representation in the council when 2 councillors defected to the DA and its one ward councillor became an independent.

In the [election of 18 May 2011](/source/South_African_municipal_election%2C_2011) the DA won a majority of sixteen seats on the council. In the [election of 3 August 2016](/source/South_African_municipal_election%2C_2016) the DA increased its majority to seventeen seats. The DA further expanded that majority to nineteen seats in the [election of 1 November 2021](/source/2021_South_African_municipal_elections). The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[7]

Mossel Bay local election, 1 November 2021 Party Votes Seats Ward List Total % Ward List Total Democratic Alliance 23,372 23,340 46,712 66.2% 10 9 19 African National Congress 5,333 5,431 10,764 15.3% 5 0 5 Freedom Front Plus 1,889 1,936 3,825 5.4% 0 2 2 Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa 1,791 1,774 3,565 5.1% 0 1 1 African Christian Democratic Party 915 907 1,822 2.6% 0 1 1 Patriotic Alliance 702 718 1,420 2.0% 0 1 1 Independent candidates 141 – 141 0.2% 0 – 0 8 other parties 1,097 1,176 2,273 3.2% 0 0 0 Total 35,240 35,282 70,522 15 14 29 Valid votes 35,240 35,282 70,522 99.2% Spoilt votes 263 333 596 0.8% Total votes cast 35,503 35,615 71,118 Voter turnout 35,693 Registered voters 64,310 Turnout percentage 55.5%

## Crime and corruption

In 2007, crime figures revealed that Mossel Bay recorded the lowest crime rates in the country. Between August 2006 and July 2007, there were no murders, hijackings, or business robberies. The low unemployment rate has been cited as a factor for the low crime rates.[8] In 2018 two minicipal workers were arrested after swindling the municipality out of R138,000 by changing the amounts charged for grave sites. Each received a three year jail sentence.[9]

## 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-muni_population_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-muni_population_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-muni_population_2-2) ["Statistics by place"](http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=964). Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 7 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Statistics by place"](http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=964). Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC043__mossel_bay/](https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC043__mossel_bay/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Mossel Bay Local Municipality"](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/176). *Census 2011*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Sum of the Main Places [KwaNonqaba](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/176013), [Mossel Bay](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/176014), [Isinyoka](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/176015) and [Asazani](http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/176016) from Census 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Mossel Bay"](https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/WC043/short). *wikitable.frith.dev*. Retrieved 2021-11-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Mossel Bay the safest place to visit"](http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20070712092719252C774239). IOL. 2000-07-12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mar1_9-0)** ["Mosselbaai werkers oor grafte bedrog gevonnis"](https://maroelamedia.co.za/nuus/sa-nuus/mosselbaai-werkers-oor-grafte-bedrog-gevonnis/). maroelamedia.com. Maroela Media. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.

## External links

- [Official website](https://www.mosselbay.gov.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 [Mossel Bay Local Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossel_Bay_Local_Municipality) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossel_Bay_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.