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Beaufort West

Quick Fact

According Census 2011, Beaufort West Local Municipality has a total population of 49 586.

Quick Fact Image 1,36% Growth Rate

Beaufort West Local Municipality is located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and forms part of the Central Karoo District Municipality.

On 03 February 1837, a proclamation appeared in the Government Gazette stating that Beaufort had been granted municipal government, and thus it became the first municipality in South Africa.To avoid confusion with Fort Beaufort and Port Beaufort, the name “Beaufort” was changed to “Beaufort West” in the 1860’s (www.beaufortwestmun.co.za).

Rank By:
173 ranking by population size
 
2011
Rank view all
Kgetleng Rivier , North West 51,049 170
Camdeboo , Eastern Cape 50,993 171
Cederberg , Western Cape 49,768 172
Beaufort West , Western Cape 49,586 173
Kopanong , Free State 49,171 174
Bitou , Western Cape 49,162 175
Mthonjaneni , KwaZulu-Natal 47,818 176
People
Quick Fact

Of those aged 20 years and older 10,2% have no form of schooling.

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According Census 2011, Beaufort West Local Municipality has a total population of 49 586, of which 16,3% are black African, 73,5% are coloured people, 9,2% are white people, with the other population groups making up the remaining 0,5%.

Of those aged 20 years and older, 7,5% have completed primary school, 34,6% have some secondary education, 23,7% have completed matric and 6,5% have some form of higher education. Of those aged 20 years and older 10,2% have no form of schooling.

Group Percentage
Black African16,3%
Coloured73,5%
Indian/Asian0,5%
White9,2%
Other0,5%
Age Males Females
0-4 5,8% 5,4%
5-9 5,1% 5,1%
10-14 5% 5,1%
15-19 4,5% 4,3%
20-24 3,9% 4,1%
25-29 3,7% 3,8%
30-34 3,1% 3,4%
35-39 3,2% 3,4%
40-44 3,2% 3,4%
45-49 2,8% 2,8%
50-54 2,5% 2,8%
55-59 2% 2,2%
60-64 1,5% 1,7%
65-69 1% 1,2%
70-74 0,7% 1%
75-79 0,4% 0,6%
80-84 0,2% 0,3%
85+ 0,2% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 81,7%
English 2,4%
IsiNdebele 0,2%
IsiXhosa 10,4%
IsiZulu 0,2%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 0,5%
Setswana 0,5%
Sign Language 0,3%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0,1%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.4%
Not Applicable 3,1%
Group Percentage
Married 24,1%
Living together like married partners 10,7%
Never married 59,4%
Widower/Widow 4%
Separated 0,5%
Divorced 1,2%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 4,2%
Some Primary 44,2%
Completed Primary 7,3%
Some Secondary 29,6%
Completed Secondary 11,2%
Higher Education 1%
Not Applicable 2,5%
Sex Percentage
Female 51,3%
Male 48,7%
Living Conditions
Quick Fact

92,0% of households have access to electricity for lighting.

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There are 13 089 households in the municipality, with an average household size of 3,6persons per household.

Almost 97,4% of households have access to piped water either in their dwelling or in the yard. Only 0,6% of households do not have access to piped water, and 92,0% of households have access to electricity for lighting.

Area Percentage
Urban 85,6%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 14,4%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 75,4% 24,6%
Computer 16,7% 83,3%
Television 78,6% 21,4%
Satellite Television 25,4% 74,6%
Radio 74% 26%
Landline / Telephone 18,7% 81,3%
Motor Car 28,7% 71,3%
Refrigerator 72,2% 27,8%
Electric / Gas-Stove 84,6% 15,4%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 84,7% 67,1% 92%
Gas 3,7% 1,5% 0,3%
Paraffin 1,5% 3,9% 0,4%
Solar 0,2% 0,4% 1,6%
Candles 0% 0% 5,4%
Wood 9,4% 18,8% 0%
Coal 0,2% 0,5% 0%
Animal Dung 0% 0% 0%
Other 0,1% 0% 0%
None 0,3% 7,8% 0,4%
Access Percentage
From Home 6,2%
From Cellphone 11,4%
From Work 2,5%
From Elsewhere 3,3%
No Access 76,6%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 21,1%
Owned and fully paid off 46,7%
Owned but not yet paid off 14%
Occupied rent free 16,3%
Other 2%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 79,6%
Borehole 16,1%
Spring 0,7%
Rain water tank 0,1%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 2,4%
River/Stream 0,1%
Water vendor 0,1%
Water tanker 0,5%
Other 0,3%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 2,6%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 83,2%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 9,2%
Chemical toilet 0,4%
Pit toilet with ventilation 2,7%
Pit toilet without ventilation 1%
Bucket toilet 0,6%
Other 0,5%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 83,7%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,3%
Communal refuse dump 1,1%
Own refuse dump 13,6%
No rubbish disposal 0,8%
Other 0,4%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 83,7%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,3%
Communal refuse dump 1,1%
Own refuse dump 13,6%
No rubbish disposal 0,8%
Other 0,4%
Economy
Quick Fact

 34,5% are unemployed.

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There are 14 784 economically active (employed or unemployed but looking for work) people in the municipality, and of these 25,5% are unemployed.

Of the 6 969 economically active youth (aged 15 – 34) in the municipality, 34,5% are unemployed.

Employment Status Number
Employed 11012
Unemployed 3772
Discouraged Work Seeker 2572
Not Economically Active 13695
Income Percentage
None income 9,5%
R1 - R4,800 3,3%
R4,801 - R9,600 5,8%
R9,601 - R19,600 21,7%
R19,601 - R38,200 23,8%
R38,201 - R76,4000 15,3%
R76,401 - R153,800 9,5%
R153,801 - R307,600 6,9%
R307,601 - R614,400 3,2%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,7%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,2%
R2,457,601+ 0,2%
Agricultural Statistics
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 878
Poultry production 853
Vegetable production 284
Production of other crops 239
Other 364

**An agricultural household may engage in more than one agricultural activity

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 196
Animals only 1,008
Mixed farming 287
Other 103

**An agricultural household may not fall under more than one agricultural activity

Income category of agricultural households
Annual income category of agricultural household heads Number
No income 176
R1-R4 800 19
R4 801-R38 400 813
R38 401-R307 200 426
R307 201+ 94
Unspecified 66
Agricultural households municipal data per province
Western Cape (download)
Eastern Cape (download)
Northern Cape (download)
Free State (download)
KwaZulu-Natal (download)
North West (download)
Gauteng (download)
Mpumalanga (download)
Limpopo (download)

**Please note that each province contains twenty five tables

Place names

Places in Beaufort West Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population49,586
Young (0-14)31,5%
Working Age (15-64)62,6%
Elderly (65+)5,9%
Dependency ratio59,7
Sex ratio94,8
Growth rate1,36% (2001-2011)
Population density2 persons/km2
Unemployment rate25,5%
Youth unemployment rate34,5%
No schooling aged 20+10,1%
Higher education aged 20+6,5%
Matric aged 20+23,6%
Number of households13,089
Number of Agricultural households1,593
Average household size3,6
Female headed households37,7%
Formal dwellings97,9%
Housing owned/paying off60,7%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage83,2%
Weekly refuse removal83,7%
Piped water inside dwelling81,3%
Electricity for lighting92%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population43,290
Young (0-14)32,8%
Working Age (15-64)62,6%
Elderly (65+)5,7%
Dependency ratio62,4%
Sex ratio92,7
Growth rate1,24% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate38,2%
Youth unemployment rate49,7%
No schooling aged 20+17,2%
Higher education aged 20+6%
Matric aged 20+16,4%
Number of households10,540
Average household size3,9
Female headed households37,4%
Formal dwellings95,8%
Housing owned/paying off58,8%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage80,2%
Weekly refuse removal82,4%
Piped water inside dwelling57,5%
Electricity for lighting86,6%

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