Knysna

Quick Fact

According to Census 2011 the Knysna Local Municipality has a total population of 68 569.

Quick Fact Image 2,77% Growth Rate

The Knysna municipal area covers a total surface 10 59 square kilometer.  It stretches from the Swartevlet in the Sedgefield in the west to Harkerville in the East.  The municipal area is bordered by the Outeniqua Mountains in the north and Indian Ocean in the south.

Rank By:
143 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Ntambanana , KwaZulu-Natal 74,336 140
Ngqushwa , Eastern Cape 72,190 141
Hlabisa , KwaZulu-Natal 71,925 142
Knysna , Western Cape 68,659 143
Modimolle , Limpopo 68,513 144
Musina , Limpopo 68,359 145
Umjindi , Mpumalanga 67,156 146
Quick Fact

 2,7% of those aged 20 years and older have no form of schooling.

Quick Fact Image

According to Census 2011 the Knysna Local Municipality has a total population of 68 569, of which 40,9% are coloured, 36,1% are black African, 21,0% are white people,  with other population groups making up the remaining 2%.

Of those aged 20 years and above, 5,8% have completed primary school, 36,1% have some secondary education, 29,9% have completed matric, and 12,7% have some form of higher education. 2,7% of those aged 20 years and older have no form of schooling.

Group Percentage
Black African36,1%
Coloured40,9%
Indian/Asian0,4%
White21%
Other1,6%
Age Males Females
0-4 4,9% 4,6%
5-9 4% 3,8%
10-14 3,6% 3,9%
15-19 3,6% 3,8%
20-24 4,2% 4,3%
25-29 4,8% 4,7%
30-34 4,3% 4%
35-39 3,9% 3,9%
40-44 3,6% 3,4%
45-49 2,7% 2,7%
50-54 2,3% 2,5%
55-59 1,9% 2,2%
60-64 1,7% 2,1%
65-69 1,5% 1,6%
70-74 1,3% 1,2%
75-79 0,6% 0,7%
80-84 0,3% 0,4%
85+ 0,3% 0,4%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 49,9%
English 15%
IsiNdebele 0,3%
IsiXhosa 27,7%
IsiZulu 0,5%
Sepedi 0,1%
Sesotho 0,6%
Setswana 0,4%
Sign Language 0,4%
SiSwati 0,1%
Tshivenda 0,1%
Xitsonga 0,1%
Other 2.3%
Not Applicable 2,6%
Group Percentage
Married 31,1%
Living together like married partners 9,3%
Never married 54,1%
Widower/Widow 3,1%
Separated 0,6%
Divorced 1,8%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,1%
Some Primary 41,9%
Completed Primary 6,7%
Some Secondary 33%
Completed Secondary 12,1%
Higher Education 1,3%
Not Applicable 2%
Sex Percentage
Female 50,5%
Male 49,5%
Quick Fact

88,8% of households have access to electricity for lighting

Quick Fact Image

There are 21 893 households in the municipality with an average household size of 3,0 persons per household. 67,3% of households have access to piped water inside dwelling/institution and 12,1% have water in their yard.  Only 1,6% of households do not have access to piped water.

Area Percentage
Urban 93,5%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 6,5%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 86,7% 13,3%
Computer 30,3% 69,7%
Television 80,3% 19,7%
Satellite Television 32,2% 67,8%
Radio 70,4% 29,6%
Landline / Telephone 27,3% 72,7%
Motor Car 40,2% 59,8%
Refrigerator 73,6% 26,4%
Electric / Gas-Stove 84,7% 15,3%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 78,4% 59,4% 88,8%
Gas 10,1% 4,7% 0,3%
Paraffin 8,1% 8,2% 5,7%
Solar 0,1% 0,5% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 4,8%
Wood 2,7% 10,4% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,4% 0%
Animal Dung 0,1% 0,1% 0%
Other 0,1% 0% 0%
None 0,3% 16,4% 0,2%
Access Percentage
From Home 18,5%
From Cellphone 11,2%
From Work 4%
From Elsewhere 2,8%
No Access 63,6%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 23,2%
Owned and fully paid off 51,7%
Owned but not yet paid off 7%
Occupied rent free 14,4%
Other 3,6%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 91,2%
Borehole 1,4%
Spring 0,1%
Rain water tank 3,6%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 1,8%
River/Stream 0,6%
Water vendor 0,2%
Water tanker 0,3%
Other 0,8%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 5,8%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 66,8%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 9,3%
Chemical toilet 0,4%
Pit toilet with ventilation 0,8%
Pit toilet without ventilation 7,9%
Bucket toilet 2,1%
Other 6,9%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 93%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,7%
Communal refuse dump 1,4%
Own refuse dump 2,7%
No rubbish disposal 1,3%
Other 0,8%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 93%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,7%
Communal refuse dump 1,4%
Own refuse dump 2,7%
No rubbish disposal 1,3%
Other 0,8%
Quick Fact

24,8%  unemployment rate.

Quick Fact Image

There are 21 939 employed persons in the municipality; the unemployment rate is estimated at 24,8%, which does not include the 1 589 discouraged work-seekers who have given up looking for work.  Amongst the youth in the area 9 804 are employed, the youth unemployment rate is estimated at 32,3%, which does not include the 960 youth who fall within the discouraged work-seeker group.

Employment Status Number
Employed 21939
Unemployed 7248
Discouraged Work Seeker 1589
Not Economically Active 15146
Income Percentage
None income 16,4%
R1 - R4,800 3,3%
R4,801 - R9,600 4,3%
R9,601 - R19,600 13,8%
R19,601 - R38,200 18,8%
R38,201 - R76,4000 15%
R76,401 - R153,800 11,1%
R153,801 - R307,600 8,8%
R307,601 - R614,400 5,6%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 1,9%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,6%
R2,457,601+ 0,4%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 636
Poultry production 706
Vegetable production 1,081
Production of other crops 314
Other 634

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 782
Animals only 677
Mixed farming 368
Other 170

**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 420
R1-R4 800 61
R4 801-R38 400 889
R38 401-R307 200 469
R307 201+ 74
Unspecified 83

Place names

Places in Knysna Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population68,659
Young (0-14)24,8%
Working Age (15-64)66,9%
Elderly (65+)8,3%
Dependency ratio49,5
Sex ratio97,9
Growth rate2,77% (2001-2011)
Population density62 persons/km2
Unemployment rate24,8%
Youth unemployment rate32,3%
No schooling aged 20+2,6%
Higher education aged 20+12,6%
Matric aged 20+29,7%
Number of households21,893
Number of Agricultural households1,997
Average household size2,9
Female headed households34,3%
Formal dwellings73,8%
Housing owned/paying off58,7%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage66,8%
Weekly refuse removal93%
Piped water inside dwelling67,3%
Electricity for lighting88,8%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population52,035
Young (0-14)26,2%
Working Age (15-64)66,9%
Elderly (65+)7,2%
Dependency ratio50,2%
Sex ratio97,4
Growth rate3,54% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate28,3%
Youth unemployment rate35,1%
No schooling aged 20+5,1%
Higher education aged 20+11,5%
Matric aged 20+25,1%
Number of households14,913
Average household size3,4
Female headed households34,9%
Formal dwellings68,6%
Housing owned/paying off68,9%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage54,9%
Weekly refuse removal90,8%
Piped water inside dwelling51,3%
Electricity for lighting80,4%