Witzenberg Local Municipality
Encyclopedia
Witzenberg Municipality is a local municipality
located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality
, in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
. As of 2007, it had a population of 75,148.
Witzenberg Municipality is a municipality burgeoning with investment potential and experiencing rapid rural/urban development. Witzenberg’s picturesque landscape consists of Ceres, Wolseley, Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, Tulbagh, Nduli, Bella Vista and Op-die-Berg. Development in these areas can largely be attributed to tourism, fruit orchards, viticulture and an emerging commercial sector. However, rural communities serving agrarian regions are often susceptible to seasonal employment, a skills deficit in the workforce and poverty. These social ills also affect parts of Witzenberg Municipality, but this is regarded as an opportunity for economic growth and social transformation as opposed to a dire consequence. Witzenberg Municipality strives to achieve exceptional service delivery to draw investment to this district and can only achieve maximum efficiency and progress if the public that it serves can enjoy basic living standards and have adequate employment options.
Witzenberg Local Economic Development Board (WLEDB)
Witzenberg Municipality passionately believes that it should work in tandem and in partnership with the private sector as a developmental partner, development agencies as facilitators and communities as beneficiaries. A pivotal strategy in the execution of Witzenberg’s LED framework is the establishment of a Local Economic Development Board (WLEDB). This non-statutory board will act as the conveyance for implementing tangible outcomes in the form of large-scale, commercially viable LED projects, playing a catalytic role in expanding Witzenberg’s economic base. WLEDB is tasked with developing Witzenberg as a recognised brand, to identify LED projects with predictable success, to create a LED project team to conduct business models, feasibility studies and source funding to support these functions.
The criteria upon which municipalities are rated includes:
The competition was run across South Africa, with a high level of participation throughout the country.
Witzenberg Municipality won an award for water management standards, the third place award in the Western Cape and R 40 000.00 in prize money. The Director: Technical Services, Mr. Hendrik Kröhn, received a special award for his personal contribution towards improving quality standards in Witzenberg.
Local municipality (South Africa)
In South Africa, a local municipality or Category B municipality is a type of municipality that serves as the third, and most local, tier of local government...
located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality
Cape Winelands District Municipality
The Cape Winelands District Municipality, formerly the Boland District Municipality, is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2007, it had a population of 712,413...
, in the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. As of 2007, it had a population of 75,148.
Witzenberg Municipality is a municipality burgeoning with investment potential and experiencing rapid rural/urban development. Witzenberg’s picturesque landscape consists of Ceres, Wolseley, Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, Tulbagh, Nduli, Bella Vista and Op-die-Berg. Development in these areas can largely be attributed to tourism, fruit orchards, viticulture and an emerging commercial sector. However, rural communities serving agrarian regions are often susceptible to seasonal employment, a skills deficit in the workforce and poverty. These social ills also affect parts of Witzenberg Municipality, but this is regarded as an opportunity for economic growth and social transformation as opposed to a dire consequence. Witzenberg Municipality strives to achieve exceptional service delivery to draw investment to this district and can only achieve maximum efficiency and progress if the public that it serves can enjoy basic living standards and have adequate employment options.
Political Leadership
Mayor Stefan Louw was sworn in as the Mayor of Witzenberg Municipality in May 2011. A husband and a father of three, Mayor Louw is passionate about family values and strongly endorses a lifestyle of balance; supporting religion, the home and the workplace. This keen focus stems from his background and experience working with offenders in Correctional Services. It was in this field that Mayor Louw established his beliefs about offenders having great potential for rehabilitation, active investment in youth development being an important factor in the fight against crime and that all people have inherent value. Mayor Louw joined the political arena in 2005 by becoming a member of the Democratic Alliance and assisted with mobilising voters for by-elections. He then furthered his career by pursuing the role of councillor in 2006. Mayor Louw is now part of a dynamic coalition with various political parties that are unified in motivation and producing effective administration. Mayor Louw is a community leader in Witzenberg. He mentors the youth at each opportunity to steer them towards alternatives to drug abuse, delinquency and apathy. Mayor Louw is also a motivational speaker, advocating morals and ethical behaviour. Mayor Louw is constantly striving to address issues of poverty eradication, the importance of fathers in the family unit, developing solutions geared towards job creation and supporting our rural communities. Mayor Louw has a profound love of nature and he supports growth and development but not at the cost of the environment. Mayor Louw has a deep appreciation for sports and is an avid Springbok supporter.MAYCO and Councillors (Alphabetical Order)
| Position | Surname | Name | Political Party | Seat Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Adams | Karriem | Independant | Ward 6 |
| Councillor | Badela | Reginald | ANC | Ward 12 |
| Councillor | Du Plessis | Jacobus Johannes | DA | PR 3 |
| Councillor | Du Toit | Magdalena Catharina | ANC | PR 1 |
| Speaker | Godden | Theodore Thomas | COPE | PR 1 |
| Mayco Member | Hanekom | Wouda Janene | DA | Ward 3 |
| Councillor | Heradien | Petrus | DA | Ward 7 |
| Mayco Member | Klaasen | Barnito Charles | DA | PR 2 |
| Councillor | Klazen | Jacques Nico Ernest David | Democratic Christian Party | PR 1 |
| Executive Mayor | Louw | Stefanus | DA | PR 1 |
| Councillor | Mouton | Johnnerey Stephanie | ANC | PR 2 |
| Councillor | Ndwanya | Stanley Msondezi | ANC | PR 4 |
| Councillor | Phungula | Joyce Thembisa | ANC | PR 3 |
| Councillor | Salmon | Lea | ANC | Ward 8 |
| Councillor | Saula | Monwabisi Isaac | ANC | Ward 1 |
| Councillor | Sidego | Elizabeth Mary | DA | Ward 11 |
| Councillor | Simpson | Richard John | ANC | Ward 9 |
| Mayco Member | Smit | Hendrik Johannes | DA | Ward 5 |
| Councillor | Swart | Dirk | DA | Ward 2 |
| Councillor | Thomas | Johannes | National People's Party | PR 1 |
| Councillor | Veschini | John Adrian | Voice of Independent Party (VIP) | PR 1 |
| Mayco Member | Visagie | Joachem Jacobus | DA | Ward 4 |
| Councillor | Waterboer | Piet | DA | Ward 10 |
Municipal Leadership
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| David Nasson | Municipal Manager |
| Raymond Esau | Director: Finance |
| Cobus Kritzinger | Deputy Director: Finance |
| Hendrik Kröhn | Director: Technical Services |
| Monwabisi Mpeluza | Director: Corporate Services |
| Mzwandile Jacobs | Director: Community Services |
Adjacent municipalities
- Hantam Local MunicipalityHantam Local MunicipalityHantam is an administrative area in the Namakwa District of Northern Cape in South Africa.Hatam is a Khoi name that means "mountains where the bulbs grow". The municipality is named after the Hantam Mountains found in the area.-References:...
, Namakwa District MunicipalityNamakwa District MunicipalityNamakwa is one of the 5 districts of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The seat of Namakwa is Springbok and the region is also known as Little Namaqualand. The majority of its 108 118 people speak Afrikaans...
, Northern CapeNorthern CapeThe Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...
(north) - Karoo Hoogland Local MunicipalityKaroo Hoogland Local MunicipalityKaroo Hoogland is an administrative area in the Namakwa District of Northern Cape in South Africa.Hoogland an Afrikaans word meaning "highland" and Karoo is a Khoi word meaning "hard" or "dry". The name reflects the area which has dry, arid and dessert-like conditions.The municipality incorporates...
, Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape (northeast) - Laingsburg Local MunicipalityLaingsburg Local MunicipalityLaingsburg Municipality is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2001, the population is 6,681. Its municipality code is WC051.- Government :The mayor of the municipality is Willem Theron of the DA...
, Central Karoo District MunicipalityCentral Karoo District MunicipalityThe Central Karoo District Municipality is a district municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa...
(southeast) - Breede Valley Local MunicipalityBreede Valley Local MunicipalityBreede Valley Municipality is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2007, it had a population of 134,271. Its municipality code is WC025.- Government :...
(south) - Drakenstein Local MunicipalityDrakenstein Local MunicipalityDrakenstein Municipality is a local municipality located within the Cape Winelands District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2007, it had a population of 217,089...
(southwest) - Bergrivier Local MunicipalityBergrivier Local MunicipalityBergrivier Municipality is a local municipality located within the West Coast District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Piketberg is the seat of the municipality. As of 2007, it had a population of 44,741. Its municipality code is WC013.- Government :The mayor of the...
, West Coast District MunicipalityWest Coast District MunicipalityThe West Coast District Municipality is a district municipality located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its municipality code is DC1. Moorreesburg is the seat of the district...
(west) - Cederberg Local MunicipalityCederberg Local MunicipalityCederberg Municipality is a local municipality located within the West Coast District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2007, it had a population of 31,942. Its municipality code is WC012.-Government:...
, West Coast District Municipality (northwest)
Cities and towns
- CeresCeres, Western CapeCeres is a town with 46,251 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is the administrative centre and largest town of the Witzenberg Local Municipality. Ceres serves as a regional centre for the surrounding towns of Wolseley, Tulbagh, Op-die-Berg and Prince Alfred Hamlet...
- NduliNduliNduli is an administrative ward in the Iringa Rural district of the Iringa Region of Tanzania. According to the 2002 census, the ward has a total population of 11,640.-References:...
- Op-die-Berg
- Prince Alfred Hamlet
- TulbaghTulbaghTulbagh is a town in the Tulbagh valley and is situated in the Witzenberg Local Municipality, with the valley called "Die Land van Waveren" locally. Closest towns are Wolseley, Prince Alfred's Hamlet, Gouda and Ceres in the Boland district of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.The valley has...
- Bella VistaBella VistaBella Vista is the name of several places in the world: Argentina:*Bella Vista, Buenos Aires*Bella Vista, Corrientes*Bella Vista, Tucumán Australia:*Bella Vista, New South Wales Canada:...
- WolseleyWolseley, Western CapeWolseley is a small town in the upper Breede River Valley region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 8,188 people...
Local Economic Development
Local economic development navigates the cohesion between the public, local business and non-governmental partners towards Witzenberg’s financial independence and national competitiveness. Projects to address social difficulties include the Witzenberg Emerging Forum (WEBF), the Community Work Programme, Contractor Development Programme, the creation of the Witzenberg Local Economic Development Board (WLEDB) and the Prince Alfred’s Hamlet Walkway.Witzenberg Emerging Business Forum (WEBF)
The WEBF aims to mobilise small businesses, emerging farmers and black economic empowerment sectors of Witzenberg to take advantage of the opportunities arising out of local economic development processes. The WEBF is able to provide these sectors with a ‘voice’ in terms of facilitating an open dialogue between Municipal policies, laws, regulations and practises that affect them, thus creating better relationships with local business sectors. The WEBF also identifies development projects in which emerging businesses and new farmers can participate. The WEBF is a conduit for the Municipality and relevant stakeholders to interact with and ensure that business support services from provincial and national government are channelled equitably to these target groups. The success of the WEBF is attributed to its goal driven focus. It follows a pro-active approach giving strength to local business as a collective, providing activities of relevance and value to its members, assisting with skills development and training for budding entrepreneurs and creating a platform for ethical, transparent and accountable business practice.Community Work Programme (CWP)
Another programme geared towards skills development is the Community Work Programme (CWP). This initiative offers temporary employment to Witzenberg residents, contributing to their sense of dignity and social inclusion. This form of motivation contributes directly to the eradication of poverty, reduction of unemployment and supplementing household income. CWP has about 370 residents participating in the programme, performing maintenance and cleaning of Municipal resorts, storm water and street cleaning as well as sewage plant work. CWP assists 7 non-profit organisations, promoting volunteerism with activities such as social and home caring, women’s support groups, crèche services , HIV care and nutritional maintenance. Future planning for CWP includes skills training in painting and paving, empowering the youth and existing labour force.Contractor Development
Contractor development is an important focus area for Witzenberg Municipality. Thorough research is being conducted to identify the capabilities of local contractors and to classify the criterion on which these contractors are unsuccessful in tender applications. Witzenberg plans to create workshops and training plans to create awareness and competition within the local business sphere.Witzenberg Local Economic Development Board (WLEDB)
Witzenberg Municipality passionately believes that it should work in tandem and in partnership with the private sector as a developmental partner, development agencies as facilitators and communities as beneficiaries. A pivotal strategy in the execution of Witzenberg’s LED framework is the establishment of a Local Economic Development Board (WLEDB). This non-statutory board will act as the conveyance for implementing tangible outcomes in the form of large-scale, commercially viable LED projects, playing a catalytic role in expanding Witzenberg’s economic base. WLEDB is tasked with developing Witzenberg as a recognised brand, to identify LED projects with predictable success, to create a LED project team to conduct business models, feasibility studies and source funding to support these functions.
Prince Alfred's Hamlet Walkway
Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, located in Witzenberg Municipality, is characterised by poverty, unemployment and fetal alcohol syndrome. Residents are subject to seasonal employment, lasting only five to six months of the year. The National Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti, visited this area on 20 August 2010 to assess the Municipality’s progress with poverty eradication. Whilst making door-to-door visits, the Minister identified an open space in the Kliprug area to be upgraded into a pedestrian walkway. According to Ms. Jo-Ann Krieger, Manager: Socio-Economic Development, “The area was densely forested, with a ditch used for illegal dumping. The area was unsafe and there was no lighting.” Upon assessing the needs of this area, Witzenberg Municipality sourced local labour to execute the project and proceeded to design and construct a well-lit walkway, with manicured lawns and flower beds at a cost of R4 million. The walkway provided employment and skills development for the youth, with planning for additional recreational facilities to further improve Prince Alfred’s Hamlet. This project transformed a treacherous alley into an attractive and functional walkway, which has become a source of pride and ownership for the community.Greenest Municipality Competition
At an award ceremony hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) on 06 October 2011, Witzenberg Municipality placed third for the Greenest Municipality Competition. Drakenstein Municipality was awarded first place, with George Municipality attaining second place. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning runs this event annually and the competition provides an excellent opportunity to promote improved service delivery standards in Witzenberg as well as raise awareness within the community to protect and care for the environment. The competition was originally known as the Cleanest Town Competition and it was launched in 2001. After several successful years, the competition was expanded to include additional criteria that go beyond waste management.The criteria upon which municipalities are rated includes:
- Waste management
- Energy efficiency and conservation
- Water management
- Air quality management
- Landscaping, tree planting and beautification
- Leadership, institutional arrangements & public participation
The competition was run across South Africa, with a high level of participation throughout the country.
Witzenberg Municipality won an award for water management standards, the third place award in the Western Cape and R 40 000.00 in prize money. The Director: Technical Services, Mr. Hendrik Kröhn, received a special award for his personal contribution towards improving quality standards in Witzenberg.