Editing Bitou Local Municipality

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Bitou
| official_name      = 
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = Plett
| settlement_type    = [[Local municipality (South Africa)|Local municipality]]
<!-- images, nickname --->| image_seal         = Bitou_CoA.png
| seal_size          = 150x100px
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>| image_map          = Map of the Western Cape with Bitou highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location of Bitou Local Municipality within the Western Cape
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|55|S|23|25|E|region:ZA_type:adm3rd_dim:40km|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location ------------------>| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[South Africa]]
| subdivision_type1  = Province
| subdivision_name1  = [[Western Cape]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Districts of South Africa|District]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Garden Route District Municipality|Garden Route]]
<!-- seat, smaller parts ------->| seat               = [[Plettenberg Bay]]
| parts_type         = [[Ward (South Africa)|Wards]]
| parts              = 7
<!-- government leaders -->| government_footnotes = <ref name="muni_mayor">{{cite web |url=http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/gcis_list.jsp?id=14&heading=Executive%20Mayors |title=Contact list: Executive Mayors |publisher=Government Communication & Information System |access-date=22 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100714013749/http://www.gcis.gov.za/gcis/gcis_list.jsp?id=14&heading=Executive%20Mayors |archive-date=14 July 2010 }} </ref>
| government_type    = [[Municipal council]]
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = Deputy Mayor
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = Speaker
| leader_name2       = <!-- area ---------------------->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 992
<!-- population ---------------->| population_footnotes = <ref name="j777">{{cite web | title=Bitou (Local Municipality, South Africa) | website=Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location | date=2022-02-02 | url=https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC047__bitou/ | access-date=2024-08-09}}</ref>
| population_total   = 65,240
| population_as_of   = 2022
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup {{nobold|(2022)}}
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="j777">{{cite web | title=Bitou (Local Municipality, South Africa) | website=Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location | date=2022-02-02 | url=https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC047__bitou/ | access-date=2024-08-09}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = {{nobold|[[Bantu-speaking peoples of South Africa|Black African]]}}
| demographics1_info1 = 52.6%
| demographics1_title2 = {{nobold|[[Coloureds|Coloured]]}}
| demographics1_info2 = 28.8%
| demographics1_title3 = {{nobold|[[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]}}
| demographics1_info3 = 0.3%
| demographics1_title4 = {{nobold|[[White South African|White]]}}
| demographics1_info4 = 16.5%
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s {{nobold|(2011)}}
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="muni_langs">{{cite web |url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=964 |title=Statistics by place  |publisher=Statistics South Africa |access-date=27 September 2015}} </ref>
| demographics2_title1 = {{nobold|[[Afrikaans]]}}
| demographics2_info1 = 43.4%
| demographics2_title2 = {{nobold|[[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]}}
| demographics2_info2 = 38.0%
| demographics2_title3 = {{nobold|[[English language|English]]}}
| demographics2_info3 = 13.3%
| demographics2_title4 = 
| demographics2_info4 = %
| demographics2_title5 = {{nobold|Other}}
| demographics2_info5 = 5.3%
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->| timezone1          = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1        = +2
<!-- Municipal code -->| blank_name_sec1    = Municipal&nbsp;code
| blank_info_sec1    = WC047

<!-- website, footnotes -->| website            = {{URL|https://www.bitou.gov.za/}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Bitou Municipality''' ({{langx|af|Bitou Munisipaliteit}}; {{langx|xh|uMasipala wase Bitou}}), formerly known as '''Plettenberg Bay Municipality''', is a [[Local municipality (South Africa)|local municipality]] within the [[Garden Route District Municipality]], in the [[Western Cape]] province of [[South Africa]]. Its municipality code is WC047.

==Geography==
The municipality covers an area of {{convert|992|km2}} between the [[Indian Ocean]] and the [[Tsitsikamma Mountains]] around the town of [[Plettenberg Bay]]. It is the easternmost municipality on the coast of the Western Cape, with its eastern edge at the [[Bloukrans River (Garden Route)|Bloukrans River]] forming the border with the [[Eastern Cape]]. It abuts on the [[Knysna Municipality]] to the west, the [[George Municipality]] to the northwest, and the [[Kou-Kamma Municipality]] to the east.

==Demographics==
The [[2022 South African census]] reported a population of 65,240 in the municipality, increasing at an annual rate of 2.8% since 2011. 52.6% of this population identified as "[[Black South African|Black African]]," 28.8% as "[[Coloureds|Coloured]]," and 16.5% as "[[White South Africans|White]]."<ref>https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC047__bitou/</ref>

According to the [[South African National Census of 2011|2011 census]] the municipality had a population of 49,162 people in 16,645 households. Of this population, 45.2% describe themselves as "[[Bantu peoples in South Africa|Black African]]", 31.2% as "[[Coloured]]", and 16.9% as "[[White South African|White]]". The [[first language]] of 43.4% of the population is [[Afrikaans]], while 38.0% speak [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] and 13.3% speak [[English language|English]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/179 |title=Bitou Local Municipality |work=Census 2011}}</ref>

A majority of residents of the municipality live in the town of [[Plettenberg Bay]], which in 2011 had a population of 31,804.<ref>Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/179006 Bossiesgerf], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/179007 New Horizons], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/179008 Kwanokuthula] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/179009 Plettenberg Bay] from Census 2011.</ref> On the other side of the [[Keurbooms River]] mouth from Plettenberg Bay is the coastal resort of [[Keurboomstrand]] (pop. 475), while the resort of [[Nature's Valley]] (pop. 460) is situated further east at the mouth of the [[Groot River (Tsitsikamma)|Groot River]]. The [[Griqua people|Griqua]] settlement of [[Kranshoek]] (pop. 5,597) is situated west of Plettenberg Bay. In the interior of the municipality are villages at [[Kurland, Western Cape|Kurland]] (pop. 4,033) and [[Wittedrif]] (pop. 1,822).

==History==
At the end of the [[apartheid]] era, the area that is today the Bitou Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The town of [[Plettenberg Bay]] was governed by a municipal council elected by the [[white South African|white]] residents while the [[coloured]] residents of New Horizons were governed by a management committee subordinate to the white council. The village of [[Kurland, Western Cape|Kurland]] was also governed by a management committee, while the Griqua settlement at [[Kranshoek]] was governed by a board of management. The villages of [[Wittedrif]], [[Keurboomstrand]] and [[Nature's Valley]] were governed by local councils.

After the [[South African general election, 1994|national elections of 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 the Greater Plettenberg Bay Transitional Local Council (TLC) was established to replace all of them in December 1994.

The TLC was initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when [[1995–96 South African municipal elections|elections were held]]. 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 Bitou Municipality included a part of the Outeniqua TRC.

At the [[South African municipal election, 2000|local elections of December 2000]] the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Plettenberg 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]]. In 2003 the Plettenberg Bay Municipality was renamed the Bitou Municipality.

== Politics ==
{{main|Bitou Local Municipality elections}}
{{Politics of Western Cape}}
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 [[ward (South Africa)|wards]], while the remaining six are chosen from [[party list]]s so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the [[South African municipal election, 2011|election of 18 May 2011]] no party obtained a majority; the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]] (DA) and the [[African National Congress]] (ANC) won six seats each, with the remaining seat going to the [[Congress of the People (South African political party)|Congress of the People]] (COPE). The DA and COPE formed a coalition to govern the municipality.<ref name=comp>{{cite web |url=http://www.westerncape.gov.za/other/2012/8/political_composition_of_councils_august_2012.pdf |title=Political composition of councils |date=August 2012 |publisher=Western Cape Department of Local Government |access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref>

The DA won a ward from the ANC in a by-election held in 2014, and governed Bitou alone with an outright majority of seats on the council.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/important-win-for-da-in-plett-by-election-1.1753127|title='Important' win for DA in Plett by-election|work=Independent Online|access-date=2017-05-13|language=en}}</ref>

A hung council was elected following the 2016 municipal elections, with the DA and ANC each winning six seats, and the final seat going to the [[Active United Front]] (AUF). The AUF chose to join forces with the ANC. However, six months later, in April 2017, the AUF announced that the partnership had fallen apart because the ANC had frustrated attempts to establish clean administration, had failed to commit resources to address problems, had not implemented the coalition agreement, and had not signed the agreed-upon service delivery plan. The DA and AUF negotiated for a month, following which the DA gained control of the municipality.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://citizen.co.za/news/news-national/1512917/anc-booted-in-bitou-municipality-da-takes-over/|title=ANC booted in Bitou municipality, DA takes over|date=2017-05-13|work=The Citizen|access-date=2017-05-13|language=en|archive-date=2017-05-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516173143/http://citizen.co.za/news/news-national/1512917/anc-booted-in-bitou-municipality-da-takes-over/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The relationship between the DA and AUF quickly sourced and the AUF was back with the ANC a year later. In April 2021, AUF mayor Peter Lobese was ousted in a motion of no confidence and deputy mayor Sandiso Gcabayi of the ANC became acting mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plett's new mayor to prioritise cost-cuts, service delivery|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/plett-s-new-mayor-to-prioritise-cost-cuts-service-delivery-202104220451|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref> DA Caucus Leader Bill Nel was elected mayor in May 2021, toppling the ANC-led coalition.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bitou has new mayor|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/bitou-has-new-mayor-202105210834|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref> The ANC then challenged the election of Bill Nel and the Western Cape High Court declared his election [[null and void]] and declared that a new mayor should be elected on 8 June. However, on 8 June, this did not happen. ANC speaker Euan Wildeman suspended Lobese, which made ineligible to cast a vote for mayor, leading to a split vote between the DA's Nel and the ANC's Gcabayi. The DA then approached the High Court, requesting that Lobese's suspension be declared unlawful. the High Court sided with the DA and declared Lobese's unlawful, which made it null and void. The High Court also ordered the speaker to convene a council meeting for 9 July.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bitou ordered to select mayor|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/bitou-ordered-to-select-mayor-202107080203|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref>  The meeting was then delayed as the ANC councillors appealed the High Court's decision.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fresh twist in battle leaves Bitou muni still rudderless|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/General/fresh-twist-in-battle-leaves-bitou-muni-still-rudderless-202107150901|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref> On 10 September, the High Court overturned its initial decision to declare the suspension of Lobese's council membership unlawful.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Court orders Lobese's suspension|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/court-orders-lobese-s-suspension-202109150917|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref>

In the November 2021 local government elections, a hung council was once again elected. The DA won five out of the thirteen seats, the ANC won four, the Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM), the Patriotic Alliance (PA), the PDC and the Active United Front (AUF) all won one seat. The DA then formed a coalition with the PDC and AUF to govern the municipality with the DA mayoral candidate, Dave Swart, voted in as mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Bitou mayor and speaker elected|url=https://www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/www.knysnaplettherald.com/News/Article/Politics/new-bitou-mayor-and-speaker-elected-202111181114|access-date=2021-11-19|website=Knysna-Plett Herald}}</ref>

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Bitou|url=https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/WC047/short|access-date=2021-11-08|website=wikitable.frith.dev}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:right"
!colspan="9" align="center"| Bitou local election, 1 November 2021
|-
!rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Party !!colspan="4" align="center"| Votes !!colspan="3" align="center"| Seats
|-
! Ward !! List !! Total !! % !! Ward !! List !! Total
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Democratic Alliance (South Africa)}}
| 7,914 || 7,921 || 15,835 || 40.4% || 3 || 2 || 5
|-
| {{Full party name with color |African National Congress}}
| 5,685 || 5,726 || 11,411 || 29.1% || 3 || 1 || 4
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Active United Front}}
| 1,806 || 1,738 || 3,544 || 9.0% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Plett Democratic Congress}}
| 1,335 || 1,219 || 2,554 || 6.5% || 1 || 0 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Patriotic Alliance (South Africa)}}
| 1,125 || 1,118 || 2,243 || 5.7% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Ikhwezi Political Movement}}
| 610 || 645 || 1,255 || 3.2% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| ||style="text-align:left"| 12 other parties
| 1,202 || 1,189 || 2,391 || 6.1% || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| '''Total'''
| '''19,677''' || '''19,556''' || '''39,233''' ||  || '''7''' || '''6''' || '''13'''
|-
|colspan="9"|
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Valid votes
| 19,677 || 19,556 || 39,233 || 98.9%
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| [[Spoilt vote]]s
| 207 || 219 || 426 || 1.1%
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| '''Total votes cast'''
| '''19,884''' || '''19,775''' || '''39,659''' ||
|-
|colspan="6"|
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Voter turnout
| 19,902
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Registered voters
| 30,863
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Turnout percentage
| 64.5%
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.bitou.gov.za/ Bitou Local Municipality Official Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308093117/http://www.plett.gov.za/ Bitou Municipality - Old Website]

{{Garden Route District Municipality}}
{{Municipalities of the Western Cape}}

[[Category:Local municipalities of the Garden Route District Municipality]]