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Hessequa Local Municipality
View on WikipediaHessequa Municipality (Afrikaans: Hessequa Munisipaliteit), known before 24 June 2005 as Langeberg Municipality, is a local municipality within the Garden Route District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is flanked by the lower Breede River to the west and the Gourits River to the east. As of 2022[update], the population was 71,918. Its municipality code is WC042. The name Hessequa, meaning "people of the trees", refers to the indigenous Khoikhoi people.
Key Information
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Geography
[edit]The municipality covers an area of 5,733 square kilometres (2,214 sq mi) between the Langeberg mountains and the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Breede River in the west to the Gourits River in the east. It abuts on the Swellendam Municipality to the west, the Kannaland Municipality to the north, the Oudtshoorn Municipality to the northeast, and the Mossel Bay Municipality to the east.
The largest town in the municipality is Riversdale, which had a population of 16,176 in 2011. It’s also where the municipal headquarters are located. Riversdale sits on the Vet River near the foothills of the Langeberg. To the west are Heidelberg (8,259) and Slangrivier (3,011), while Albertinia (6,372) lies to the east. Stilbaai (3,514) is on the coast south of Riversdale, at the mouth of the Vet River, with the smaller communities of Jongensfontein (355) and Melkhoutfontein (2,533) nearby. Vermaaklikheid (365), a small rural village known for its natural surroundings, is located south of Riversdale along the Duiwenhoks River. On the edges of the municipality, Witsand (321) sits at the mouth of the Breede River in the west, and Gouritsmond (515) lies at the mouth of the Gourits River in the east.
History
[edit]At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Hessequa Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of Riversdale, Heidelberg, Albertinia and Stilbaai were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents. The coloured residents of Riversdale, Heidelberg and Theronsville (Albertinia) were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. The seaside resorts of Witsand, Jongensfontein and Gouritsmond were governed by elected local councils, and the town of Slangrivier was governed by a board of management.
While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In March 1992, the Municipality of Riversdale and the Riversdale Management Committee merged into a single municipal council, and in August 1992 a similar merger took place in Heidelberg.
After the 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. The smaller seaside resorts were also combined with larger towns.
- Riversdale TLC replaced the Municipality of Riversdale in October 1994.
- Heidelberg TLC replaced the Municipality of Heidelberg and the Witsand Local Council in December 1994.
- Albertinia-Gourits TLC replaced the Municipality of Albertinia, the Theronsville Management Committee and the Gouritsmond Local Council in January 1995.
- Stilbaai TLC replaced the Municipality of Stilbaai and the Jongensfontein Local Council in January 1995.
- Slangrivier TLC replaced the Slangrivier Management Board in January 1995.
The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At the time of these elections the Albertinia-Gourits TLC was dissolved and replaced by separate TLCs for Albertinia and Gouritsmond. 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 Hessequa Municipality formed part of the Langeberg TRC.
At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Langeberg Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the South Cape District Council was also dissolved and replaced by the Eden District Municipality. In 2005 the name of the local municipality was changed from Langeberg to Hessequa. (The Langeberg name was subsequently reused for the municipality formerly known as Breede River/Winelands.)
Demographics
[edit]According to the 2022 census, the municipality had a population of 71,918 people, increasing at an annual rate of 3.2% from 2011. Of these, 72.5% identified as "Coloured," 22% as "White," and 4.5% as "Black African."[5]
Politics
[edit]| This article is part of a series on the |
| Politics of the Western Cape |
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The municipal council consists of seventeen members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Nine councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in nine wards, while the remaining eight 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 1 November 2021 the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a majority of seats on the council.
The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[6]
| Hessequa local election, 1 November 2021 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Seats | ||||||
| Ward | List | Total | % | Ward | List | Total | ||
| Democratic Alliance | 10,391 | 10,597 | 20,988 | 50.2% | 6 | 3 | 9 | |
| African National Congress | 7,309 | 7,245 | 14,554 | 34.8% | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| Freedom Front Plus | 1,647 | 1,577 | 3,224 | 7.7% | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Patriotic Alliance | 572 | 606 | 1,178 | 2.8% | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Independent candidates | 182 | – | 182 | 0.4% | 0 | – | 0 | |
| 7 other parties | 817 | 877 | 1,694 | 4.1% | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 20,918 | 20,902 | 41,820 | 9 | 8 | 17 | ||
| Valid votes | 20,918 | 20,902 | 41,820 | 99.4% | ||||
| Spoilt votes | 103 | 138 | 241 | 0.6% | ||||
| Total votes cast | 21,021 | 21,040 | 42,061 | |||||
| Voter turnout | 21,055 | |||||||
| Registered voters | 33,270 | |||||||
| Turnout percentage | 63.3% | |||||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on 14 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
- ^ a b "Hessequa (Local Municipality, South Africa)". Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location. 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- ^ "Hessequa Municipality 2020 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ https://citypopulation.de/en/southafrica/admin/western_cape/WC042__hessequa/ [bare URL]
- ^ "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Hessequa". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
External links
[edit]Municipalities and communities of Garden Route District Municipality, Western Cape | ||
|---|---|---|
District seat: George | ||
| Bitou | .svg) | |
| George | ||
| Hessequa | ||
| Kannaland | ||
| Knysna | ||
| Mossel Bay | ||
| Oudtshoorn | ||
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Hessequa Local Municipality
View on GrokipediaGeography
Location and boundaries
Hessequa Local Municipality covers an area of 5,733 km², representing the largest local municipality in the Garden Route District and approximately a quarter of the district's total geographical extent.[1][3] Positioned along the southern Cape coast, it lies at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains to the north, with the Indian Ocean forming its southern boundary.[1] The municipality's territory extends eastward from the Breede River, which delineates its western limit, to the Gourits River in the east.[1] Administratively, Hessequa borders Swellendam Local Municipality to the west, Kannaland Local Municipality to the north, Oudtshoorn Local Municipality to the northeast, and Mossel Bay Local Municipality to the east.[6]Main towns and settlements
The primary settlements in Hessequa Local Municipality are anchored by Riversdale, the administrative seat and largest town with a 2011 population of 16,176, functioning as the central hub for municipal services.[5][7] Other key towns include Heidelberg (population 8,259), Albertinia (6,372), and Stilbaai (3,514), alongside Slangrivier and Gouritsmond, which support regional connectivity and coastal access.[5][7] Smaller rural and coastal settlements such as Jongensfontein, Melkhoutfontein, Vermaaklikheid, and Witsand contribute to the dispersed layout, primarily serving local communities along the municipality's expanse between the Langeberg mountains and the Indian Ocean.[5]History
Pre-1994 administration
Prior to 1994, local governance in the region now known as Hessequa Local Municipality operated under apartheid's racially segregated system, with distinct structures for white, coloured, and other population groups. White-designated towns such as Riversdale and Heidelberg were administered by independent municipalities, while coloured areas fell under management committees designed to provide limited self-governance.[8] The broader area was encompassed by the South Cape Regional Services Council, established on 31 March 1989 from portions of the Outeniqua and Langeberg Divisional Council areas to coordinate regional services.[9] In 1992, mergers integrated some municipal councils with adjacent management committees in towns like Riversdale and Heidelberg, reflecting incremental reforms ahead of the democratic transition.Establishment and renaming
In the wake of South Africa's transition to democracy, the region comprising what is now Hessequa Local Municipality was initially administered through town-specific transitional local councils (TLCs) established in 1994 to facilitate local governance reforms. These TLCs represented a shift from fragmented pre-democratic structures toward unified administration. In December 2000, following local government elections under the Municipal Structures Act, the TLCs were dissolved and merged to create the Langeberg Local Municipality, incorporating areas previously under separate councils in towns like Riversdale and Heidelberg. On 24 June 2005, the municipality was officially renamed Hessequa Local Municipality to reflect its cultural heritage, with "Hessequa" deriving from a Khoikhoi term meaning "people of the trees," honoring the indigenous pastoralists who inhabited the area's forested landscapes.[5]Demographics
Population trends
The 2022 South African census recorded a population of 71,918 for Hessequa Local Municipality, marking an annual growth rate of 3.1% from the 2011 figure.[3] This increase aligns with broader demographic expansion in the region, driven by factors such as migration and natural growth.[10] Historical census data reveal steady population rises, with 52,642 residents counted in 2011, up from earlier enumerations that underscore a pattern of incremental growth over decades.[4] Community surveys in intervening years, such as 2007's estimate of around 44,000, further confirm this upward trajectory between formal censuses.[11]Ethnic and linguistic composition
The ethnic composition of Hessequa Local Municipality, as recorded in the 2022 census, is dominated by the Coloured population group, accounting for 72.5% of residents, followed by White at 22% and Black African at 4.5%.[3] Smaller proportions include Asian/Indian and other groups, each under 1%. The following table compares the racial distribution between the 2011 and 2022 censuses:| Population Group | 2011 (%) | 2022 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Black African | 7 | 4.5 |
| Coloured | 69 | 72.5 |
| White | 23 | 22 |
| Indian/Asian | <1 | <1 |
| Other | <1 | <1 |
Government and politics
Municipal council structure
Hessequa Local Municipality holds Category B status within the Garden Route District Municipality, functioning as a local government entity that shares executive and legislative authority with the district while maintaining operational autonomy for designated services.[13] The municipal council consists of 17 members elected via mixed-member proportional representation, with 9 representing specific wards and 8 allocated through party lists to ensure proportional representation.[14] In line with sections 155 and 156 of the South African Constitution, the council holds powers to deliver essential services including water supply, electricity distribution, sanitation, and waste management, tailored to the municipality's rural and coastal context.[15]Leadership and elections
The Democratic Alliance (DA) gained control of the Hessequa Local Municipality council following the 2021 municipal elections, securing a majority with 9 of the 17 seats. The African National Congress (ANC) won 6 seats, while the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and Patriotic Alliance (PA) each took 1 seat. Voter turnout stood at 63.3%.[16][17] Grant Riddles of the DA serves as the current executive mayor, having been re-elected to the position in 2021.[18]Economy
Primary sectors
The primary economic sectors in Hessequa Local Municipality center on agriculture, which dominates with activities such as grain production including wheat, barley, and canola, alongside livestock farming focused on sheep and wool.[19] Inland areas also support fruit cultivation like berries and dairy processing for cheese, while coastal zones contribute through fishing integrated into the broader agricultural framework.[19][1] The agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector accounts for approximately 10.8% of the local economy, underscoring its role in employment and output.[1] Mining and quarrying represent a minor primary activity at 0.3% of the economy, with operations evident near Albertinia, including open-pit sites that support limited extraction efforts.[1][20] These sectors collectively drive rural livelihoods, though commercial agriculture remains the predominant force.[21]Tourism and development
Stilbaai serves as a key hub for eco-tourism in Hessequa, featuring coastal beaches along the Indian Ocean and the Goukou River estuary, complemented by extensive hiking, mountain biking, and 4x4 routes through fynbos landscapes that immerse visitors in diverse natural environments.[22] Jongensfontein, nearby, enhances these offerings with rugged coastal views ideal for beach relaxation and outdoor exploration.[22] In Gouritsmond, tourism centers on pristine beaches and the Gourits River, supporting activities like surfing, kayaking, canoeing, and deep-sea fishing charters, while the Gourikwa Coastal Nature Reserve provides 4x4 trails, hiking paths, and mountain biking amid five biomes rich in endangered species and birdlife, including over 240 recorded bird species for eco-focused visitors.[23] Whale watching from June to November further bolsters seasonal attractions.[23] Hessequa's post-2016 economic development strategies, as outlined in the 2017-2022 Integrated Development Plan, prioritize local economic development initiatives to promote tourism as a growth sector, integrating LED efforts to enhance visitor infrastructure and sustainable coastal experiences following the 2016 municipal elections.[24]Environment
Natural features
The Hessequa Local Municipality encompasses diverse terrain, including the northern Langeberg mountain range, major rivers such as the Breede in the west and the Gourits in the east, and coastal dunes along the Indian Ocean shoreline.[5][25] These elements create a varied landscape of rolling hills, limestone formations, and estuarine systems that shape the region's hydrology and visual character.[5] The area features a moderate Mediterranean climate, with rainfall predominantly occurring during the winter months and drier summers supporting seasonal vegetation patterns.[19] This climate fosters the prevalence of the fynbos biome, a shrubland ecosystem endemic to the Cape region, characterized by proteas, ericas, and restios adapted to nutrient-poor soils and periodic fires.[26]Conservation efforts
The Stilbaai Marine Protected Area, established in 2008, safeguards inshore waters and connects to the adjacent Geelkrans Nature Reserve, protecting diverse coastal habitats and overexploited marine species through restrictions on fishing and habitat management.[27][28] Hessequa Municipality supports biodiversity restoration via the 100,000 Trees Campaign, aiming to plant indigenous species across the region to enhance ecological resilience and combat habitat loss.[29] Invasive alien plant management on municipal lands prioritizes the removal and control of non-native species to preserve endemic fynbos vegetation and restore natural ecosystems, aligning with broader conservation objectives.[30] Collaborative beach clean-up initiatives with the Garden Route District Municipality raise awareness of marine pollution and promote sustainable coastal practices during events like Marine Month.[31] CapeNature contributes to long-term environmental protection by managing protected areas and sustainable development within Hessequa.[32]References
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1516786