Bitou Local Municipality

Zamuni
code= WC047
location= Eden District Municipality, Western Cape Province

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area= 991
neighbours=
mayor= Lulama Mvimbi (ANC)
population= 29,149
population density= 29.41
habitations=8,756
habitation density=8.84
races=Black African 37.95%, Coloured 40.25%, Indian/Asian 0.31%, and White 21.50%
languages=Afrikaans, English language, Xhosa language
website= [http://41.204.198.129/Home/Default.aspx 41.204.198.129/Home/Default.aspx]

Bitou Local Municipality (formerly known as Plettenberg Bay Municipality) is a municipality part of Eden District Municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of 2001, its population is 29,149. Its municipality code is WC047.

Government

The executive mayor of the municipality is Lulama Mvimbi of the ANC which won an outright majority of 63.6% in the local government elections in March 2006. This municipality has been dogged by mismanagement, service delivery problems as well as corruption involving a former city manager appointed by former Euan Vernon Wells Wildeman who was replaced by Mvimbi (who was the former executive mayor of Eden District Municipality) in March 2006. Formerly known as Plettenberg Bay, the Bitou Local Municipality has been an ANC stronghold since the first multi-racial local government elections in November 2005.

It is divided into six wards, with a total of eleven councillors.

Geography

The municipality has a total area of 991 km².

Adjacent municipalities

*Kou-Kamma Municipality, Eastern Cape (north, northeast)
*Aberdeen Plain Municipality, Eastern Cape (east)
*Knysna Municipality, Western Cape (west)
*South Cape Municipality, Western Cape (northwest)

The municipality also borders the Indian Ocean on the south.

Demographics

As of the census of 2001, there are 29,149 people and 8,756 households residing in the municipality. The population density is 29.41/km². The density of households is 8.84/km². The racial makeup of the municipality is Black African 37.95%, Coloured 40.25%, Indian/Asian 0.31%, and White 21.50%.

20.4% of all households are made up of individuals. The average household size is 3.33.

In the municipality the population is spread out with 26.1% under the age of 15, 18.1% from 15 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 15.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.6 males.

In the municipality 49.3% of residents speak Afrikaans at home, 14.1% speak English, 0.0% speak Ndebele, 35.4% speak Xhosa, 0.3% speak Zulu, 0.0% speak Northern Sotho, 0.4% speak Sotho, 0.1% speak Tswana, 0.0% speak Swati, 0.0% speak Venda, and 0.0% speak Tsonga. 0.3% of the population speaks a non-official language at home.

83.7% of residents are Christian, 12.1% have no religion, 0.2% are Muslim, 0.5% are Jewish, and 0.0% are Hindu. 3.5% have other or undetermined beliefs.

7.1% of residents aged 20 and over have received no schooling, 17.4% have had some primary school, 8.0% have completed only primary school, 32.3% have had some high school education, 24.0% have finished only high school, and 11.2% have an education higher than the high school level. Overall, 35.2% of residents have completed high school.

51.2% of housing units have a telephone and/or cell-phone in the dwelling, 43.5% have access to a phone nearby, and 5.3% have access that is not nearby or no access. 83.1% of households have a flush or chemical toilet. 86.7% have refuse removed by the municipality at least once a week and 1.9% have no rubbish disposal. 47.2% have running water inside their dwelling, 79.9% have running water on their property, and 84.7% have access to running water. 61.5% of households use electricity for cooking, 61.5% for heating, and 80.8% for lighting. 77.9% of households have a radio, 59.1% have a television, 13.7% own a computer, 59.4% have a refrigerator, and 36.8% have a cell-phone.

18.4% of the population aged 15-65 is unemployed. Of the unemployed persons, 70.4% are Black African, 26.6% are Coloured, 0.2% are Indian/Asian, and 2.8% are White. 32.1% of Black Africans are unemployed, 12.8% of Coloureds, 10.6% of Indians/Asians, and 2.5% of Whites.

The median annual income of working adults aged 15-65 is R 13 541 ($2,032). Males have a median annual income of R 14 366 ($2,155) versus R 12 051 ($1,808) for females. The median annual income by race is R 9 567 ($1,435) for Black Africans, R 12 167 ($1,826) for Coloureds, R 32 679 ($4,903) for Indians/Asians, and R 50 331 ($7,552) for Whites. The annual income distribution in Plettenberg Bay Municipality is:
*No income 4.2%
*R 12 – R 4,800 ($2 - $721) 11.4%
*R 4,812 – R 9,600 ($723 - $1,443) 21.0%
*R 9,612 – R 19,200 ($1,445 – $2,886) 32.7%
*R 19,212 – R 38,400 ($2,888 - $5,772) 13.7%
*R 38,412 – R 76,800 ($5,774 - $11,543) 8.6%
*R 76,812 – R 153,600 ($11,545 - $23,087) 4.8%
*R 153,612 – R 307,200 ($23,089 - $46,174) 2.4%
*R 307,212 – R 614,400 ($46,176 - $92,348) 0.5%
*R 614,412 or more ($92,350+) 0.7%

[http://www.statssa.gov.za/census01/Census/Database/Census%202001/Census%202001.asp Statistics South Africa Census 2001]

Cities and towns

*Bloukrans State Forest
*Bossies Gif
*Harkerville State Forest
*Keurboomsrivier
*Keurboomstrand
*Klien Palmietrivier State Forest
*Kranshoek
*Kurland Estate
*Kwanokuthula
*Natures Valley
*New Horizons
*Plettenberg Bay
*Weldon
*Wittedrift