Country South Africa Seat Beaufort West Time zone SAST (UTC+2) Area 21,917 km² Black african population 16.3% Native english speakers 2.5% Province Western Cape | District Central Karoo Wards 7 Municipal code WC053 White population 9.2% Native afrikaans speakers 84.3% Native xhosa speakers 10.7% | |
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Beaufort West Municipality (Afrikaans: Beaufort-Wes Plaaslike Munisipaliteit) is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2011 the population is 49,586. Its municipality code is WC053.
Contents
Map of Beaufort West, South Africa
Geography
The municipality covers an area of 21,917 square kilometres (8,462 sq mi), making it the largest local municipality in the Western Cape and the sixth-largest in South Africa. It is located in the furthest northeastern part of the province in the Great Karoo. It abuts on the Karoo Hoogland Municipality to the northwest, the Ubuntu Municipality to the north, the Camdeboo Municipality to the east, the Baviaans Municipality to the southeast, the Prince Albert Municipality to the south and the Laingsburg Municipality to the southwest.
According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 49,586 people in 13,089 households. Of this population, 73.5% describe themselves as "Coloured", 16.3% as "Black African", and 9.2% as "White". The first language of 84.3% of the population is Afrikaans, while 10.7% speak Xhosa and 2.5% speak English.
The main town in the municipality is Beaufort West, which as of 2011 has a population of 34,085. Murraysburg (pop. 5,069) is situated in the far east of the municipality. Nelspoort (pop. 1,699) is situated northeast of Beaufort West, while Merweville (pop. 1,592) is in the far west of the municipality.
Politics
The municipal council consists of thirteen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Seven councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in seven wards, while the remaining six 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 18 May 2011 the African National Congress won a majority of seven seats on the council.
The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.
The local council sends five representatives to the council of the Central Karoo District Municipality: three from the African National Congress and two from the Democratic Alliance.