Overstrand Local Municipality

Overstrand
Local municipality
Official seal of Overstrand Seal
Location in the Western Cape Location in the Western Cape
Coordinates:
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	Overberg
Seat	Hermanus
Wards	13
Government
• Type	Municipal council
• Mayor	Nicolette Botha-Guthrie (DA)
Area
• Total	1,708 km2 (659 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	80,432
• Density	47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	36.2%
• Coloured	31.0%
• Indian/Asian	0.3%
• White	31.2%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	53.5%
• Xhosa	29.2%
• English	12.3%
• Sotho	1.4%
• Other	3.6%
Time zone	SAST (UTC+2)
Municipal code	WC032

Overstrand Municipality is a local municipality located within the Overberg District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2011 it had a population of 80,432.

Geography

The municipality covers an area of 1,708 square kilometres (659 sq mi) stretching along the coast of the Overberg, from the eastern edge of False Bay almost to Cape Agulhas. At its western end it is separated from the City of Cape Town by the Kogelberg mountains; to the north it is separated from the Theewaterskloof Municipality by the Kogelberg and the Kleinrivier Mountains; and to the east it abuts on the Cape Agulhas Municipality along a boundary that runs generally north-south just to the west of Elim. The western part of the municipality consists mostly of a narrow coastal plain with mountains immediately behind, while the eastern part beyond the Klein River expands away from the coast to include a wider agricultural region.

According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 80,432 people in 28,010 households. Of this population, 36.2% describe themselves as "Black African", 31.2% as "White", and 31.0% as "Coloured". The first language of 53.5% of the population is Afrikaans, while 29.2% speak Xhosa, 12.3% speak English and 1.4% speak Sotho.

Most of the towns in the municipality are on the coast, and due to the proximity to Cape Town many are holiday resorts. The largest town is Hermanus, which is situated on the northern edge of Walker Bay next to the Klein River mouth. As of 2011 Hermanus, which is the site of the municipal headquarters, has a population of 32,769. West of Hermanus, between it and the Bot River, are Onrusrivier (pop. 5,151) and Hawston (pop. 8,214) on the coast, and Fisherhaven (pop. 723) on the Bot River lagoon. On the other side of the Bot River mouth is the town of Kleinmond (pop. 6,634) and beyond it along the coast are Betty's Bay (pop. 1,380), Pringle Bay (pop. 801) and Rooi-Els (pop. 125).

East of Hermanus the municipality includes a wider agricultural area away from the coast. The village of Stanford (pop. 4,797) is about 15 kilometres (10 mi) inland on the Klein River. To the south, on the opposite side of Walker Bay from Hermanus, is the second-largest town in the municipality, Gansbaai (pop. 11,598). Just south of Gansbaai, on the southern edge of the Danger Point peninsula, are Van Dyksbaai (pop. 500) and Franskraalstrand (pop. 1,165). A little further along the coast is Pearly Beach (pop. 1,042). Inland from Pearly Beach, separated from the coast by a range of hills, is the agricultural hamlet of Baardskeerdersbos (pop. 103), while Wolvengat (pop. 50) is another agricultural hamlet in the far south-east of the municipality.

Politics

File:Overstrand 2011 council seats.svg

Seats in the council after the 2011 election

  DA (15)

  ANC (9)

  NICO (1)

The municipal council consists of twenty-five members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Thirteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in thirteen wards, while the remaining twelve are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

History

The Overstrand Local Municipality was created at the local elections of December 2000, replacing the municipalities of Greater Hermanus, Hangklip-Kleinmond, Stanford and Gansbaai. It was considered a stronghold of the now defunct New National Party (NNP), which had held (sometimes concealed) majorities of two thirds in the predecessor municipalities after the November 1995 municipal elections, which were the first since South Africa had its first multi-racial elections.

After the 2000 election, Willie Smuts, previously mayor of Hangklip-Kleinmond Municipality, was elected mayor, representing the Democratic Alliance (DA), before he defected along with seven other DA councillors to the New National Party (NNP) after the October 2002 floor-crossing window. The NNP then formed a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC) when the council was reconstituted. After the September 2004 floor crossing Smuts then crossed the floor to the ANC along with most NNP councillors which gave the ANC an outright majority in the town for the first time.

In the March 2006 local elections, the DA won an outright majority of 10 seats in the 19-seat council. Willie Smuts was replaced as Mayor by Theo Beyleveldt. The DA consolidated its hold in the council following the September 2007 floor crossing window which saw the party gain an eleventh seat from the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP). The ANC lost a seat to the newly formed National People's Party, as did the Independent Democrats, whose only representative in the Overstrand Council crossed over.

In the May 2011 local elections, the DA again won Overstrand outright, taking fifteen of the twenty-five seats on the council, with the ANC taking nine and the National Independent Civic Organisation one.

Election results

Overstrand local election 2011
Party		Votes				Seats
		Ward	List	Total	%	Ward	List	Total
	Democratic Alliance	17,766	18,028	35,794	57.3	9	6	15
	African National Congress	10,808	11,336	22,144	35.4	4	5	9
	National Independent Civic Organisation	986	991	1,977	3.2	0	1	1
	Congress of the People	465	420	885	1.4	0	0	0
	Independent	503	–	503	0.8	0	–	0
	United Democratic Movement	256	231	487	0.8	0	0	0
	African Christian Democratic Party	228	180	408	0.7	0	0	0
	National People's Party	100	89	189	0.3	0	0	0
	African Bond of Unity	61	68	129	0.2	0	0	0
Total		31,173	31,343	62,516	100.0	13	12	25
Spoilt votes		270	191	461

The local council sends four representatives to the council of the Overberg District Municipality: two from the Democratic Alliance and two from the African National Congress.

Overstrand local election 2006
Party		Votes				Seats
		Ward	List	Total	%	Ward	List	Total
	Democratic Alliance	10,866	10,801	21,667	54.6	6	4	10
	African National Congress	7,625	7,534	15,159	38.2	4	3	7
	African Christian Democratic Party	973	907	1,880	4.7	0	1	1
	Independent Democrats	374	441	815	2.1	0	1	1
	Pan Africanist Congress	–	126	126	0.3	–	0	0
Total		19,838	19,809	39,647	100.0	10	9	19
Spoilt votes		234	244	478

Overstrand local election 2000
Party		Votes				Seats
		Ward	List	Total	%	Ward	List	Total
	Democratic Alliance	11,060	11,168	22,228	66.9	7	5	12
	African National Congress	4,521	4,604	9,125	27.5	2	3	5
	African Christian Democratic Party	843	850	1,693	5.1	0	1	1
	Independent	149	–	149	0.4	0	–	0
	United Democratic Movement	34	–	34	0.1	0	–	0
Total		19,838	19,809	39,647	100.0	9	9	18
Spoilt votes		234	244	478

Mayors

• Nicolette Botha-Guthrie (2010–present) (DA)
• Theo Beyleveldt (March 2006–2010) (DA)
• Willie Smuts (September 2004 - March 2006) (ANC)
• Willie Smuts (October 2002 - September 2004) (NNP)
• Willie Smuts (December 2000 to October 2002) (DA)

External links

• Official website
• Overstrand Local Municipality on the Western Cape Government website