Editing Witzenberg Local Municipality

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Witzenberg
| official_name            = 
| other_name               = 
| native_name              = 
| settlement_type          = [[Local municipality (South Africa)|Local municipality]]
<!-- images, nickname --->| image_seal               = Witzenberg_CoA.png
| seal_size                = 150x100px
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>| image_map                = Map of the Western Cape with Witzenberg highlighted (2011).svg
| mapsize                  = 
| map_alt                  = The Witzenberg Local Municipality is located in the Cape Winelands district, to the north-east of Cape Town.
| map_caption              = Location in the Western Cape
| coordinates              = {{coord|33|00|S|19|40|E|region:ZA_type:adm3rd_dim:120km|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        = [[Cape Winelands District Municipality|Cape Winelands]]
<!-- seat, smaller parts ------->| seat                     = [[Ceres, Western Cape|Ceres]]
| parts_type               = [[Ward (South Africa)|Wards]]
| parts                    = 12
<!-- government leaders -->| government_footnotes     = <ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-28 |title=Executive Mayor |url=http://witzenberg.gov.za/executive-mayor |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=Witzenberg Municipality |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Charles |first=Marvin |title=DA regains control of Witzenberg municipality after ousting ANC coalition |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/da-regains-control-of-witzenberg-municipality-after-ousting-anc-coalition-20231214 |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref>
| government_type          = [[Municipal council]]
| leader_party             = [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Trevor Abrahams
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| leader_title2            = 
| leader_name2             = <!-- area ---------------------->
| area_footnotes           = 
| area_total_km2           = 10753
<!-- population ---------------->| population_footnotes     = <ref name="i335">{{cite web | title=Witzenberg (Local Municipality, South Africa) | website=Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location | date=2022-02-02 | url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC022__witzenberg/ | access-date=2024-08-09}}</ref>
| population_total         = 103,765
| population_as_of         = 2022
| population_rank          = 
| population_density_km2   = auto
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1       = Racial makeup {{nobold|(2022)}}
| demographics1_footnotes  = <ref name="i335">{{cite web | title=Witzenberg (Local Municipality, South Africa) | website=Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location | date=2022-02-02 | url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC022__witzenberg/ | access-date=2024-08-09}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1     = {{nobold|[[Bantu-speaking peoples of South Africa|Black African]]}}
| demographics1_info1      = 26.8%
| demographics1_title2     = {{nobold|[[Coloureds|Coloured]]}}
| demographics1_info2      = 63.7%
| demographics1_title3     = {{nobold|[[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]}}
| demographics1_info3      = 0.2%
| demographics1_title4     = {{nobold|[[White South African|White African]]}}
| demographics1_info4      = 7.9%
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2       = [[First language]]s {{nobold|(2011)}}
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref name="muni_langs">{{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>
| demographics2_title1     = {{nobold|[[Afrikaans]]}}
| demographics2_info1      = 75.2%
| demographics2_title2     = {{nobold|[[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]}}
| demographics2_info2      = 16.6%
| demographics2_title3     = {{nobold|[[Sotho language|Sotho]]}}
| demographics2_info3      = 4.5%
| demographics2_title4     = {{nobold|[[English language|English]]}}
| demographics2_info4      = 2.0%
| demographics2_title5     = {{nobold|Other}}
| demographics2_info5      = 1.7%
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->| timezone1                = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1              = +2
<!-- Municipal code -->| blank_name_sec1          = Municipal&nbsp;code
| blank_info_sec1          = WC022

<!-- website, footnotes -->| footnotes                = 
}}
'''Witzenberg Municipality''' ({{langx|af|Witzenberg Munisipaliteit}}; {{langx|xh|uMasipala wase Witzenberg}}) is a [[local municipality (South Africa)|local municipality]] located within the [[Cape Winelands District Municipality]], in the [[Western Cape]] province of [[South Africa]]. As of 2022 it had a population of 103,765.<ref name="muni_langs" />

== Geography ==
The municipality covers an area of {{convert|10753|km2}} which includes the [[Land van Waveren]] ([[Tulbagh]]) valley, the [[Warm Bokkeveld]], the [[Koue Bokkeveld]] and the Ceres-[[Karoo]]. It stretches from the [[Winterhoek|Groot Winterhoek Mountains]] in the west and the [[Hex River Mountains]] in the south as far as the [[Northern Cape]] provincial border in the north and east. It abuts on the [[Hantam Municipality]] to the north, the [[Karoo Hoogland Municipality]] to the northeast, the [[Laingsburg Municipality]] to the southeast, the [[Breede Valley Municipality]] to the south, the [[Drakenstein Municipality]] to the southwest, the [[Bergrivier Municipality]] to the west and the [[Cederberg Municipality]] to the northwest.

The principal town and location of the municipal head office is [[Ceres, Western Cape|Ceres]] on the eastern slope of the [[Skurweberg]] mountains, which as of 2011 has a population of 33,224.<ref>Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165006 Bella Vista], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165007 Ceres] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165008 eNduli] from Census 2011.</ref> To the west of Ceres, on the other side of the mountains, is the [[Land van Waveren]] valley with the towns of [[Wolseley, Western Cape|Wolseley]] (pop. 12,130)<ref>Sum of the Main Places [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165009 Wolseley], [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165010 Pine Valley] and [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165011 Montana] from Census 2011.</ref> and [[Tulbagh]] (pop. 8,969).<ref>Main Place [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165004 Tulbagh] from Census 2011.</ref> To the north of Ceres is the town of [[Prince Alfred Hamlet]] (pop. 6,810),<ref>Main Place [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165005 Prince Alfred Hamlet] from Census 2011.</ref> and further north, in the Koue Bokkeveld, the village of [[Op-die-Berg]] (pop. 1,531).<ref>Main Place [http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/165002 Op-die-Berg] from Census 2011.</ref> There are a number of informal settlements: [[Pine Valley, Western Cape|Pine Valley]], [[Chris Hani, Western Cape|Chris Hani]], [[Mooiblom]], [[Zibonele]], [[Polocross, Western Cape|Polocross]], [[Die Gaatjie]] and [[Kleinbegin]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Municipal Profile: Witzenberg Municipality |publisher=Western Cape Government |url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/assets/departments/human-settlements/docs/issp/mp_witzenberg_final_lr.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014044603/https://www.westerncape.gov.za/assets/departments/human-settlements/docs/issp/mp_witzenberg_final_lr.pdf |archive-date=14 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition in Ward 2, Dwarsrivier, is the settlement of [[Romansrivier]].  Other settlements include: Tulbagh Road, Steinthal, Drostdy, Waterval, Kluitjieskraal, Breede River Station, and Prince Alfred Hamlet Station.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Dennis Moss Partnership |year=2012 |chapter=Other towns and settlements in Witzenberg |title=Witzenberg Spatial Development Framework |pages=82–83 |url=http://www.witzenberg.gov.za/sites/default/files/documents/Witzenberg%20Complete%20SDF.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014052430/http://www.witzenberg.gov.za/sites/default/files/documents/Witzenberg%20Complete%20SDF.pdf |archive-date=14 October 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Demographics==
According to the [[2022 South African census]], the municipality had a population of 103,765 people, decreasing from 115,946 in 2011. "[[Coloureds]]" were the largest ethnic group, at 63.7% of the population, followed by "[[Black Africans]]" at 26.8% and "[[White South Africans|Whites]]" at 7.9%.<ref>https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC022__witzenberg/</ref>

==History==
At the end of the [[apartheid]] era, in the area that is today the Witzenberg Municipality there were municipal councils for [[Ceres, Western Cape|Ceres]], [[Wolseley, Western Cape|Wolseley]], [[Tulbagh]] and [[Prince Alfred Hamlet]]. These councils were elected by the [[white South African|white]] residents, while the [[coloured]] residents of Ceres, Tulbagh and Wolseley were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The township of [[Nduli, Western Cape|Nduli]] near Ceres had a town council established under the [[Black Local Authorities Act, 1982]]. The remaining rural areas were served by the Breërivier 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 agree on voluntary mergers. The Tulbagh municipality and management committee took part in this process, merging to form a new non-racial municipality in October 1993.

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.
* Tulbagh TLC replaced the merged Tulbagh Municipality as well as the Gouda Municipality (which lies outside of the area that is now Witzenberg) in October 1994.
* Wolseley TLC replaced Wolseley Municipality and Wolseley Management Committee in November 1994.
* Ceres TLC replaced Ceres Municipality, Ceres Management Committee and Nduli Town Council in December 1994.
* Prince Alfred Hamlet TLC replaced Prince Alfred Hamlet Municipality in January 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 Breërivier District Council was established, replacing the Breërivier 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 Witzenberg Municipality included most of the Witzenberg TRC and a small part of the Matroosberg TRC.

At the [[South African municipal election, 2000|local elections of December 2000]] the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Witzenberg Municipality was established as a single local authority. Originally it only covered the western part of its current area, while the sparsely-populated Ceres-Karoo area to the east was a [[District Management Area]]. This area was incorporated into Witzenberg Municipality when District Management Areas were abolished in 2011.

==Politics==
{{main|Witzenberg Local Municipality elections}}
{{Politics of Western Cape}}
The municipal council consists of twenty-three members elected by [[mixed-member proportional representation]]. Twelve councillors are elected by [[first-past-the-post voting]] in twelve [[ward (South Africa)|wards]], while the remaining eleven 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]] no party obtained a majority of seats. The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Result Table for LGE2021 – Witzenberg|url=https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/WC022/short|access-date=2021-11-08|website=wikitable.frith.dev}}</ref> On 22 November 2021, the DA's Hennie Smit was elected mayor, the ANC's Johnnerey Mouton was elected speaker and Katrina Robyn of the GOOD party was elected deputy mayor.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hunter|first=Zintle Mahlati, Juniour Khumalo, Jan Gerber and Qaanitah|title=New political era: DA reaps the rewards as opposition parties kick ANC to the curb|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/new-political-era-da-reaps-the-rewards-as-opposition-parties-kick-anc-to-the-curb-20211123|access-date=2021-11-23|website=News24}}</ref>

The following are the results of the election (after a recount in December 2021 allocated a seat previously awarded to GOOD to the DA):<ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Witzenberg |url=https://wikitable.frith.dev/lge2021/WC022/short |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=wikitable.frith.dev}}</ref>
{{Election results
|firstround=Ward |secondround=List
|party1=[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]] |votes1=7388 |votes1_2=7361 |seats1=8 |seats1_2=1 |totseats1=9
|party2=[[African National Congress]] |votes2=6073 |votes2_2=6108 |seats2=4 |seats2_2=3 |totseats2=7
|party3=[[Good (political party)|Good]] |votes3=1268 |votes3_2=1232 |seats3=0 |seats3_2=1 |totseats3=1
|party4=[[Patriotic Alliance (South Africa)|Patriotic Alliance]] |votes4=1082 |votes4_2=1096 |seats4=0 |seats4_2=1 |totseats4=1
|party5=[[Witzenberg Aksie]] |votes5=740 |votes5_2=754 |seats5=0 |seats5_2=1 |totseats5=1
|party6=[[Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa]] |votes6=616 |votes6_2=566 |seats6=0 |seats6_2=1 |totseats6=1
|party7=[[Economic Freedom Fighters]] |votes7=575 |votes7_2=581 |seats7=0 |seats7_2=1 |totseats7=1
|party8=[[Freedom Front Plus]] |votes8=492 |votes8_2=499 |seats8=0 |seats8_2=1 |totseats8=1
|party9=[[Witzenberg Party]] |votes9=373 |votes9_2=405 |seats9=0 |seats9_2=1 |totseats9=1
|party10=[[Independent candidates]] |votes10=32 |votes10_2= |seats10=0 |seats10_2= |totseats10=0
|party11=8 other parties |votes11=1426 |votes11_2=1322 |seats11=0 |seats11_2=0 |totseats11=0
|invalid=245 |invalid2=298
|electorate=47098 |electorate2=47098
}}

=== Municipal audits ===
In June 2022, the municipality received an unqualified clean audit for the 2020-21 financial year, one of 41 of the country's 257 municipalities to do so. It has received a clean audit each year since 2016–17.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=South Africa’s municipalities have been broken for years – and nothing is getting fixed: auditor-general |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/597328/south-africas-municipalities-have-been-broken-for-years-and-nothing-is-getting-fixed-auditor-general/ |access-date=2022-06-15 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Consolidated report on local government audit outcomes :: AGSA |url=https://mfma-2021.agsareports.co.za/municipality/9-witzenberg |access-date=2022-06-15 |website=mfma-2021.agsareports.co.za}}</ref>

=== Partners ===
Since 2002 Witzenberg has an official town twinning agreement with the town Essen in Belgium. The city-to-city cooperation consists of sustainable development programs in the vulnerable areas concerning youth, local economic development and environment.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.witzenberg.gov.za/ Official website]
* [http://www.gcis.gov.za/content/resourcecentre/contactdirectory/provincial-local-government Witzenberg Local Municipality on the Government Communication and Information Systems website]

{{Cape Winelands District Municipality}}
{{Municipalities of the Western Cape}}

[[Category:Local municipalities of the Cape Winelands District Municipality]]