Editing Matzikama Local Municipality

{{use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{use South African English|date=December 2021}}

{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Matzikama
| official_name            = 
| other_name               = 
| native_name              = 
| settlement_type          = [[Local municipality (South Africa)|Local municipality]]
<!-- images, nickname --->| image_seal               = Matzikama_CoA.png
| seal_size                = 150x100px
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>| image_map                = Map of the Western Cape with Matzikama highlighted (2011).svg
| mapsize                  = 
| map_alt                  = 
| map_caption              = Location in the Western Cape
| image_map1               = Matzikama LM topographic map.svg
| map_alt1                 = Topographic map of Matzikama Local Municipality
| map_caption1             = Topographic map
| coordinates              = {{coord|31|15|S|18|30|E|region:ZA_type:adm3rd_dim:150km|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        = [[West Coast District Municipality|West Coast]]
<!-- seat, smaller parts ------->| seat                     = [[Vredendal]]
| parts_type               = [[Ward (South Africa)|Wards]]
| parts                    = 8
<!-- government leaders -->| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Municipal council]]
| leader_party             = [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Johan Van Der Hoven
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| leader_title2            = 
| leader_name2             = <!-- area ---------------------->
| area_footnotes           = 
| area_total_km2           = 12981
<!-- population ---------------->
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="muni_population">{{cite web |url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/#/province/1/2 |title=Statistics by place  |publisher=Statistics South Africa |access-date=7 August 2024}}</ref>
| population_total         = 69,043
| population_as_of         = 2022
| population_rank          = 
| population_density_km2   = auto
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1       = Racial makeup {{nobold|(2022)}}
| demographics1_footnotes  = <ref name="muni_population"/>
| demographics1_title1     = {{nobold|[[Bantu-speaking peoples of South Africa|Black African]]}}
| demographics1_info1      = 10.2%
| demographics1_title2     = {{nobold|[[Coloureds|Coloured]]}}
| demographics1_info2      = 77.7%
| demographics1_title3     = {{nobold|[[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]}}
| demographics1_info3      = 0.2%
| demographics1_title4     = {{nobold|[[White South African|White]]}}
| demographics1_info4      = 11.0%
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2       = [[First language]]s {{nobold|(2011)}}
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref name="muni_population" />
| demographics2_title1     = {{nobold|[[Afrikaans]]}}
| demographics2_info1      = 91.8%
| demographics2_title2     = {{nobold|[[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]}}
| demographics2_info2      = 3.5%
| demographics2_title3     = {{nobold|[[English language|English]]}}
| demographics2_info3      = 1.8%
| demographics2_title4     = 
| demographics2_info4      = %
| demographics2_title5     = {{nobold|Other}}
| demographics2_info5      = 2.9%
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->| timezone1                = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1              = +2
<!-- Municipal code -->| blank_name_sec1          = Municipal&nbsp;code
| blank_info_sec1          = WC011

<!-- website, footnotes -->| footnotes                = 
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.matzikamamunicipality.co.za/#/home}}
}}
'''Matzikama Municipality''' ({{langx|af|Matzikama Munisipaliteit}}) is a [[local municipality (South Africa)|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|2022}}, it had a population of 69,043.<ref name=muni_population /> It forms part of the [[West Coast District Municipality]], and its municipality code is WC011.

''Matzikama'' is of [[Khoekhoe]] origin, the first people of South Africa. It contains the [[Khoekhoe language]] words ''ma'' which means "give", ''tsî'' which means "you", and ''ǁgamma'' which means "water", and loosely translates into "you that give water".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://southafrica.co.za/matzikama-region.html|title=Matzikama Region|website=southafrica.co.za|access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref>

==Geography==
The municipality covers a total area of {{convert|12981|km2}} 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 (Western Cape)|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 [[2022 South African census]], the population was 69,043 people, increasing at an annual rate of 0.27% from 2011. 77.7% identified as "[[Coloureds|Coloured]]," 10.2% as "[[Black South African|Black African]]," and 11.0% as "[[White South Africans|White]]."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC011__matzikama/ | title=Matzikama (Local Municipality, South Africa) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location }}</ref>

At the [[South African National Census of 2011|2011 census]], the municipality had a population of 67,147 people in 18,835 households. Of this population, 74.7% describe themselves as "[[Coloured]]", 14.8% as "[[White South African|White]]", and 8.5% as "[[Bantu peoples in South Africa|Black African]]". The first language of 91.8% of the population is [[Afrikaans]], while 3.5% speak [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]] and 1.8% speak [[English language|English]].<ref name=census2011>{{Cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/160 |title=Matzikama Local Municipality |work=Census 2011}}</ref>

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, West Coast District|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.

==History==
At the end of the [[apartheid]] era, in the area that is today Matzikama, there were municipal councils for the towns of [[Vredendal]], [[Klawer]], [[Lutzville]], [[Vanrhynsdorp]] and [[Bitterfontein]], and a local council for the villages of [[Doringbaai]] and [[Strandfontein, Matzikama|Strandfontein]] known as the Louis Rood Local Council. These councils were elected by the [[white South African|white]] residents. The [[coloured]] residents of Vredendal, Klawer, Lutzville, Vanrhynsdorp, [[Koekenaap]], Bitterfontein and [[Nuwerus]] were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The former mission stations of [[Ebenhaeser]] and [[Rietpoort]] were governed by management boards, and the remaining rural areas fell under the West Coast Regional Services Council.

While the [[Negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa|negotiations to end apartheid]] were taking place a process was established for local authorities to negotiate voluntary mergers. Several towns in the Matzikama region took part in this process, resulting in each municipal council merging with its corresponding management committee: Klawer in September 1992, Vanrhynsdorp in December 1992, Vredendal in January 1993, and Lutzville in January 1994.

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 transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. In total eight TLCs were created.
* The Vanrhynsdorp TLC replaced the (merged) Vanrhynsdorp Municipality in December 1994.
* The Vredendal TLC replaced the (merged) Vredendal Municipality in December 1994.
* The Klawer TLC replaced the (merged) Klawer Municipality in January 1995.
* The Doringbaai/Strandfontein TLC replaced the Louis Rood Local Council in January 1995.
* The Ebenhaeser TLC replaced the Ebenhaeser Management Board in January 1995.
* The Lutzville TLC replaced the (merged) Lutzville Municipality as well as the Koekenaap Management Committee in February 1995.
* The Bitterfontein/Nuwerus TLC replaced the Bitterfontein Municipality, the Bitterfontein Management Committee and the Nuwerus Management Committee in February 1995.
* The Rietpoort TLC replaced the Rietpoort Management Board in May 1995.
The transitional councils were 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 these elections the West Coast District Council was established, replacing the West Coast Regional Services Council. Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become Matzikama was covered by the Vredendal and Vanrhynsdorp TRCs.

At the [[South African municipal election, 2000|local elections of December 2000]] the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved. The Matzikama Municipality was established, though in 2000 it incorporated only the southern half of the area it governs today. That area included Vredendal, Vanrhynsdorp, Klawer, Lutzville, Ebenhaeser and Doringbaai/Strandfontein. The sparsely populated northern area, including Bitterfontein/Nuwerus and Rietpoort, became a [[District Management Area]] of the West Coast District Municipality. In 2011 this area was incorporated into the Matzikama Municipality when District Management Areas were abolished.

==Politics==
{{Politics of Western Cape}}
{{main|Matzikama Local Municipality elections}}
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 [[ward (South Africa)|wards]], while the remaining seven are chosen from [[party list]]s so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the [[2021 South African municipal election|election of 1 November 2021]] the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance (DA)]] won a plurality of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 November 2021|title=Results Summary - All Ballots|url=https://results.elections.org.za/home/LGEPublicReports/1091/Detailed%20Results/WP/WC011.pdf|access-date=8 November 2021|website=IEC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 November 2021|title=Seat Calculation Detail|url=https://results.elections.org.za/home/LGEPublicReports/1091/Seat%20Calculation%20Detail/WP/WC011.pdf|access-date=8 November 2021|website=IEC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 November 2021|title=Voter Turnout Report|url=https://results.elections.org.za/home/LGEPublicReports/1091/Voter%20Turnout/WP/WC011.pdf|access-date=8 November 2021|website=IEC}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:right"
!colspan="9" align="center"| Matzikama 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)}}
| 6,199 || 6,254 || 12,453 || 37.3% || 3 || 3 || 6
|-
| {{Full party name with color |African National Congress}}
| 4,877 || 4,854 || 9,731 || 29.1% || 4 || 0 || 4
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Patriotic Alliance (South Africa)}}
| 2,307 || 1,871 || 4,178 || 12.5% || 1 || 1 || 2
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Good (political party)}}
| 1,324 || 1,328 || 2,652 || 7.9% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Freedom Front Plus}}
| 1,303 || 1,189 || 2,492 || 7.5% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Economic Freedom Fighters}}
| 645 || 627 || 1,272 || 3.8% || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
| {{Full party name with color |Independent candidates}}
| 48 || – || 48 || 0.1% || 0 || – || 0
|-
| ||style="text-align:left"| 4 other parties
| 175 || 382 || 557 || 1.7% || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| '''Total'''
| '''16,878''' || '''16,505''' || '''33,383''' ||  || '''8''' || '''7''' || '''15'''
|-
|colspan="9"|
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Valid votes
| 16,878 || 16,505 || 33,383 || 98.7%
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| [[Spoilt vote]]s
| 223 || 216 || 439 || 1.3%
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| '''Total votes cast'''
| '''17,101''' || '''16,721''' || '''33,822''' ||
|-
|colspan="6"|
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Voter turnout
| 17,131
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Registered voters
| 31,765
|-
|colspan="2" style="text-align:left"| Turnout percentage
| 53.9%
|}

In August 2020, the [[Hawks (South Africa)|Hawks]] began investigating corruption in the municipality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIU swoops on Matzikama Municipality over PPE saga |url=https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/siu-swoops-on-matzikama-municipality-over-ppe-saga-10c7ca42-b529-4a65-b5c5-fba0cb8b3b4e |access-date=2021-10-14 |website=www.iol.co.za |language=en |last1=Vuso |first1=Siphokazi }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hawks investigating three Western Cape municipalities |url=https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/hawks-investigating-three-western-cape-municipalities-11e12532-2e0f-4045-a67a-eea11cc5452c |access-date=2021-10-14 |website=www.iol.co.za |language=en}}</ref>

In August 2021, the Matzikama Local Municipality was flagged as one of the four Western Cape municipalities owing millions of rands to [[Eskom]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palm |first=Kaylynn |title=4 out of 30 municipalities in the WC owe Eskom millions |url=https://ewn.co.za/2021/08/17/4-out-of-30-municipalities-in-the-wc-owe-eskom-millions |access-date=2021-10-14 |website=ewn.co.za |language=en}}</ref>

===By-elections from November 2021 ===
The following [[by-elections]] were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since November 2021.

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Date !! Ward !!colspan=2| Party of the previous councillor !!colspan=2| Party of the newly elected councillor
|-
| 6 July 2022<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nel |first=Brandon |title=DA snatches PA ward in hotly-contested Matzikama by-election |url=https://www.iol.co.za/weekend-argus/news/da-snatches-pa-ward-in-hotly-contested-matzikama-by-election-ba7a7a76-db69-47d2-bb01-f6c568dc5940 |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.iol.co.za |language=en}}</ref>
| 7
| {{Party name with colour |Patriotic Alliance (South Africa)|shortname=Patriotic Alliance}}
| {{Party name with colour |Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|shortname=Democratic Alliance}}
|-
|}

After the by-election, the council was reconfigured as below:

{{Election results
|seattype1=Ward|seattype2=List|seattype3=Total
|party1=[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]]|votes1=|st1t1=4|st2t1=3|st3t1=7
|party2=[[African National Congress]]|votes2=|st1t2=4|st2t2=0|st3t2=4
|party3=[[Patriotic Alliance (South Africa)|Patriotic Alliance]] |votes3=|st1t3=0|st2t3=1|st3t3=1
|party4=[[Good (political party)|Good]]|votes4=|st1t4=0|st2t4=1|st3t4=1
|party5=[[Freedom Front Plus]]|votes5=|st1t5=0|st2t5=1|st3t5=1
|party6=[[Economic Freedom Fighters]]|votes6=|st1t6=0|st2t6=1|st3t6=1
}}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.matzikamamun.co.za/ Official website]
* [http://www.westerncape.gov.za/eng/your_gov/12269 Matzikama Local Municipality on the Western Cape Government website]

{{West Coast District Municipality}}
{{Municipalities of the Western Cape}}

[[Category:Local municipalities of the West Coast District Municipality]]
[[Category:Matzikama Local Municipality]]