Country South Africa Seat Bredasdorp Time zone SAST (UTC+2) Area 3,467 km² Black african population 11.5% Native english speakers 5.6% | District Overberg Wards 6 Municipal code WC033 White population 21.6% Native afrikaans speakers 84.4% Province Western Cape | |
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Points of interest Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, Shipwreck Museum, Raka Wine, Waenhuiskrans Cave, Strandveld Vineyards | ||
Cape Agulhas Municipality (Afrikaans: Kaap Agulhas Plaaslike Munisipaliteit) is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2011 it had a population of 33,038. Its municipality code is WC033. It is named after Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. The largest town is Bredasdorp, which is the seat of the municipal headquarters. It also includes the villages of Napier, Struisbaai, Elim, Arniston and L'Agulhas, and the De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Contents
Map of Cape Agulhas Municipality, South Africa
Geography
The municipality covers an area of 3,467 square kilometres (1,339 sq mi) in the Southern Overberg, covering a radius of 30 to 40 kilometres (20 to 25 mi) around Bredasdorp as well as a panhandle extending east to include the De Hoop Nature Reserve. A range of hills runs east–west through the municipality with a gap at Bredasdorp. South of these hills is the low and flat Agulhas plain. The municipality abuts on the Overstrand Municipality to the west, the Theewaterskloof Municipality to the northwest and the Swellendam Municipality to the north.
According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 33,038 people in 10,162 households. Of this population, 65.6% describe themselves as "Coloured", 21.6% as "White", and 11.5% as "Black African". The first language of 84.4% of the population is Afrikaans, while 6.0% speak Xhosa and 5.6% speak English.
The principal town and location of the municipal headquarters is Bredasdorp, which as of 2011 has a population of 15,524. Napier (pop. 4,214) is situated 15 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Bredasdorp. South of Bredasdorp on the coast around Cape Agulhas are Struisbaai (pop. 3,877), L'Agulhas (pop. 548) and Suiderstrand (pop. 44). Arniston (pop. 1,267) is further east along the coast. The former mission station of Elim (pop. 1,412) is situated west of Bredasdorp.
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, defeating an ANC-lead coalition that previously had controlled the council. Paul Swart of the DA subsequently was elected as mayor.
The following table shows the results of the 2016 election.
The local council sends two representatives to the council of the Overberg District Municipality: one from the Democratic Alliance and one from the African National Congress.