Matzikama Local Municipality

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Matzikama
Local municipality
Official seal of Matzikama
Seal
File:Map of the Western Cape with Matzikama highlighted (2011).svg
Location in the Western Cape
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Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
District West Coast
Seat Vredendal
Wards 8
Government[1]
 • Type Municipal council
 • Mayor Jakes Botha (TPICO)
Area
 • Total 12,981 km2 (5,012 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 67,147
 • Density 5.2/km2 (13/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 8.5%
 • Coloured 74.7%
 • Indian/Asian 0.6%
 • White 14.8%
First languages (2011)[3]
 • Afrikaans 91.8%
 • Xhosa 3.5%
 • English 1.8%
 • Other 2.9%
Time zone SAST (UTC+2)
Municipal code WC011

Matzikama Local Municipality is a local municipality which governs the northernmost part of the Western Cape province of South Africa, including the towns of Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer and Lutzville, and the surrounding villages and rural areas. As of 2011 it had a population of 67,147.[2] It forms part of the West Coast District Municipality, and has municipality code WC011.

Geography

The municipality covers a total area of 12,981 square kilometres (5,012 sq mi) in the northernmost part of the Western Cape province, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the mountains of the Bokkeveld Escarpment in the east. The Olifants River flows through the southern part of the municipal area, while to the north lies the hilly area known as the Knersvlakte. The municipality abuts on the Kamiesberg Municipality to the north, the Hantam Municipality to the east and the Cederberg Municipality to the south.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 67,147 people in 18,835 households. Of this population, 74.7% describe themselves as "Coloured", 14.8% as "White", and 8.5% as "Black African". The first language of 91.8% of the population is Afrikaans, while 3.5% speak Xhosa and 1.8% speak English.[4]

The principal town and seat of the council is Vredendal, which is situated in the valley of the Olifants River and has a population (according to the 2011 census) of 18,170. Other large towns in the municipality are Klawer (pop. 6,234) situated upstream from Vredendal, Lutzville (pop. 5,232) situated downstream from Vredendal, and Vanrhynsdorp (pop. 6,272) to the north-east towards the escarpment. In the Olifants River valley there are also smaller agricultural settlements at Ebenhaeser (pop. 1,305) and Koekenaap (pop. 1,551). South of the mouth of the Olifants River are the coastal villages of Doringbaai (pop. 1,260) and Strandfontein (pop. 431). The villages of Bitterfontein (pop. 986), Kliprand (pop. 205), Nuwerus (pop. 650) and Rietpoort (pop. 970) are situated in the sparsely-populated Knersvlakte in the northern part of the municipality.

Politics

The municipal council consists of fifteen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Eight councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in eight wards, while the remaining seven 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 no party achieved a majority of seats on the municipal council. The following table shows the results of the 2011 election.[5][6]

Party Votes Seats
Ward List Total  % Ward List Total
Democratic Alliance 7,648 7,754 15,402 47.5 5 2 7
African National Congress 6,455 6,560 13,015 40.1 3 3 6
New Generation Party 965 912 1,877 5.8 0 1 1
The Peoples Independent Civic Organisation 412 461 873 2.7 0 1 1
Congress of the People 334 245 579 1.8 0 0 0
African Christian Democratic Party 219 205 424 1.3 0 0 0
South African Political Alliance 93 45 138 0.4 0 0 0
Independent 57 – 57 0.2 0 – 0
Western Cape Community 27 26 53 0.2 0 0 0
Total 16,210 16,208 32,418 100.0 8 7 15
Spoilt votes 184 176 360

Initially the Democratic Alliance (DA) formed a coalition with the New Generation Party and the People's Independent Civic Organisation to govern the municipality, but in January 2012 these two parties dissolved the coalition and formed a new one with the African National Congress (ANC).[7] In 2012 a DA ward councillor resigned from the party, triggering a by-election on 7 November in which she was re-elected as an ANC representative.[8]

The local council sends two representatives to the council of the West Coast District Municipality: one from the ANC and one from the DA.[9]

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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