A Peek into South Africa's Best-Run Municipality: The West Coast District
South Africa's highest-achieving local government entity is a jewelry of the coastline.
The Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) has stirred some excitement with their recent report, highlighting the top-notch performance of local municipalities. As the curtain falls on the 2023/24 financial year, the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) steals the show, earning the coveted title of the best-run municipality in the nation.
According to BusinessTech, this accolade wasn't just a one-off achievement; the WCDM has impressively maintained its clean audit record for a whopping 14 years.
The Western Cape province houses a whopping 17 of the 25 municipalities that have managed consecutive clean audits, outshining all other provinces combined.
Let's delve deeper into this shining star of South Africa, taking a closer look at the vibrant West Coast District Municipality and what it takes to call it home.
Discovering Life in the Best-Run Municipality
Stretching from the northern border of the Cape Town Metropole to the edge of the Northern Cape, the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) has left a lasting impression. With a streak of no less than 14 clean audits under its belt, it certainly ticks all the right boxes.
The accolade bestowed upon the WCDM has made waves, attracting property buyers from near and far. Pierre Germishuys, a real estate expert from Seeff West Coast, revealed a booming property market between 2021 and 2023 in the region.
"The unrestrained demand and increased sales volumes have resulted in substantial growth in property prices over the five-year period from 2019 to 2024," Germishuys shared with BusinessTech. The average property price in the broader West Coast and Swartland area skyrocketed from roughly R836,000 to R1.4 million—a whopping 67% surge.
It seems coastal gems such as Paternoster, Langebaan, Saldanha Bay, and Yzerfontein are the hotspots for buyers.
While the precise breakdown of living expenses within the WCDM remains undisclosed, the soaring property market suggests that housing costs play a significant role in the cost of living in this region. In contrast to major cities like Cape Town, the West Coast District Municipality presents relatively affordable housing options. That said, the climbing property prices might eventually impact the overall cost of living, particularly for newcomers.
The extraordinary achievement of maintaining a clean audit record for 14 years has drawn the attention of property investors, sparking a boom in the West Coast District Municipality's property market. As revealed by real estate expert Pierre Germishuys, the average property price in the broader West Coast and Swartland area surged by 67%, indicating that housing costs significantly contribute to the region's cost of living. Despite the rising property prices, the West Coast District Municipality still offers relatively affordable housing options compared to major cities like Cape Town.
