Some 700 000 years ago descendants of the first humans started migrating southwards from central Africa. We still find the stone tools and rude rock shelters of these first Cape people. Artifacts dating from the Middle Stone Age (125 000 to 30 000 years ago) prove that those early humans were already making fires in their shelters and that they had tools at their disposal for hunting and for preparing and transporting food and water.
About 30 000 years ago a particularly long, dry period isolated the inhabitants of the West Coast from the central Negroid tribes to the north. This led to the evolution of the Khoikhoi and San peoples, with their distinctive physical characteristics. The shell middens of these first West Coasters are dotted along the Atlantic coast at frequent intervals and their rock paintings still decorate many shelters and caves in the Cedarberg Mountains and vicinity.
The Khoi started herding sheep from about 2000 to 1500 years ago. With the arrival of the Dutch settlers in the seventeenth century there were some 17 000 to 18 000 Khoikhoi herders at the present-day Velddrif, between Cape Town and the Berg River.
The European Presence
The Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, who landed here in 1497, was probably the first European whose arrival was recorded. He landed somewhere near the mouth of the Berg River, and gave the sheltered bay he found there the imposing name of Bay of Saint Helena, in honour of the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine the Great, under whose reign Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the year 313 AD.
In 1969 the government of Portugal erected a granite monument to commemorate this event. The monument stands on the shores of the bay, still known as St Helena Bay, between Sandy Point and Stompneus Bay.
Apart from the fact that Da Gama discovered a sea route between the West and the Far East, his arrival was an event of great importance to Christianity. The beach at St Helena Bay was the first place in southern Africa where the Pater Noster was said. The village of Paternoster, to the south of Stompneus Point, was so named to commemorate this event.
The region stretches for over 400 km from north to south and is well-known for its scenic beauty and fertile fishing grounds. The main towns in this region are Saldanha, Paternoster, Vredenburg, St. Helena Bay (also called Britannia Bay), Langebaan, Hopefield, Darling and Yzerfontein. The region's main nature reserve is the West Coast National Park.
Election results for the West Coast District Municipality in the South African general election, 2009. The district had 151,640 registered voters, and 110,427 votes were cast, giving a turnout of 72.82%.
The district comprises five municipalities and a District Management Area (DMA). The five municipalities are:
• Swartland Municipality
• Bergrivier Municipality
• Matzikama Municipality
• Cederberg Municipality
• Saldanha Bay Municipality
Adjacent municipalities
• Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape (north and northeast)
• Cape Winelands District Municipality (southeast)
• City of Cape Town (south)
• Atlantic Ocean (west)
The West Coast region is situated along the Atlantic Ocean and borders on the Cape Metropole in the south. The Cederberg mountains form the boundary in the east and the region borders on the North Western Cape in the north. The region covers a total of 31 099sqkm.
The vegetation is subdued, the sky incredibly wide and the sea very often a dead calm expanse of cerulean blue. But sometimes, of course, it's an angry grey expanse of snarling and crashing breakers. In spring, the somewhat monochromatic landscape explodes into a riot of colour. In small hollows between the dunes bright blue heliophilas nod on slender stalks as they turn towards the sun, and fields of orange, white, yellow and purple daisies shimmer in the heat as far as the eye can see.
Overview of popular towns
The town of Darling draws visitors to its country museum and art gallery, annual wild flower and orchid shows, basket factory and wine cellars. The entertainment venue Evita se Perron is situated at the old Darling Railway Station and offers top entertainment from South African entertainers.
Malmesbury is the biggest town in the Swartland. Major attractions include the Malmesbury Museum and the historical walk-about. The Riebeek Valley is known for its scenic beauty. The area has become a popular haven for well-known artists of various disciplines. Wines and olives can be tasted at various cellars.
Elands Bay is a popular holiday resort and surfer’s paradise. Khoi and San rock art can be viewed at the Elands Bay caves.
Moorreesburg and Koringberg are major wheat-distributing towns. Tourists can visit the Wheat Industry Museum, one of only three in the world. Birdwatching, hiking, 4x4 routes, clay-pigeon shooting, mountain-bike trails, canoeing and waterskiing at Misverstand are popular activities.
Yzerfontein is famous for its unspoilt beaches, fynbos, beautiful views and whale watching. Another major attraction is the historical lime furnaces.
Langebaan is a popular holiday destination. The West Coast National Park, an internationally renowned wetland which houses about 60 000 waterbirds and waders, attracts thousands of visitors each year. The park is also the site where the oldest anatomically modern fossilised human footprints were discovered.
The Langebaan Lagoon forms part of the park and is zoned for specific activities. The Postberg section of the park, across the lagoon, is famous for its wild flowers that bloom mainly during August and September.
Cape Columbine at Paternoster is the last manned lighthouse on the South African coast. The Columbine Nature Reserve is home to many seabird species.
Saldanha is a watersport enthusiast’s paradise. Other attractions include Doc’s Cave, a landmark on the scenic breakwater drive, and the Hoedjieskoppie Nature Reserve. There are various hiking trails in the SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve.
St Helena Bay is best known for the Vasco Da Gama Monument and Museum. Fishing (snoek in season), hiking, and whale and birdwatching opportunities also draw many visitors.
Vredenburg, the business centre of the area, has a popular golf course with a bird hide where various species can be viewed.
Lambert’s Bay is a traditional fishing village, with Bird Island as a tourist attraction. It is a breeding ground for African penguins, the Cape cormorant and other sea birds. Visitors can also watch southern right whales here from July to November.
Piketberg offers arts and crafts, fauna and flora, wine culture and recreation. The Goedverwacht and Wittewater Moravian mission stations are situated close to the town.
Porterville is famous for its Disa Route (best in January and February). The Groot Winterhoek Mountain Peak in the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area is the second-highest in the Western Cape. The Dasklip Pass is popular with hang gliders.
At Velddrif/Laaiplek, visitors can indulge in bokkem (a West Coast salted-fish delicacy) at factories along the Berg River. Tourists can also visit the salt-processing factory and the West Coast Art Gallery in town.
The citrus area in the Olifants River Valley is the third-largest in South Africa. The wine route from Citrusdal to Lutzville boasts a selection of internationally acclaimed wines. The world-renowned rooibos tea is also produced here.
Citrusdal is famous for its citrus products and wines. The Citrusdal Museum depicts the pioneering days of the early colonists. The Goede Hoop Citrus Co-op is the largest single packing facility in South Africa. The annual Citrusdal Outdoor Calabash features, among other things, 4x4 outings, lectures and visits to rock-art sites, and an arts and crafts market.
The oldest orange tree in the country, calculated to be more than 250 years old, can be found in the Citrusdal Valley.
The Sandveldhuisie is a recently built example of a typical Sandveld dwelling. There are several recognised mountain-biking, walking, hiking and canoeing trails and a sky-diving club. Annually, scores of sky-diving enthusiasts visit Citrusdal for a skydiving ‘boogie’ that lasts several days.
The Cederberg Wilderness Area features the elephant’s foot plant, the rare snow protea, and some of the best examples of San rock art in the Western Cape.
Visitors to Clanwilliam can visit the rooibos and velskoen factories and the grave of the well-known South African poet Louis Leipoldt. Various historical buildings can also be viewed. The Clanwilliam and Bulshoek dams are popular among watersport enthusiasts.
Wuppertal, at the foot of the Cederberg mountains, features the oldest Rhenish Mission Station. Proceeds from 4x4 trails in the area go to community coffers for establishing new hiking trails and building more overnight huts and guest-houses.
Vredendal is the centre of the Lower Olifants River Valley. Major attractions include marble-processing and manufacturing, industrial mines (dolomite and limestone), the KWV Grape Juice Concentrate Plant and Distillery, and the South African Dried Fruit Co-op. The town is also home to the Vredendal Wine Cellar, the largest co-operative wine cellar under one roof in the southern hemisphere.
The picturesque town of Doringbaai with its attractive lighthouse is well-known for its seafood.
Strandfontein, situated about 8 km north of Doring Bay, is essentially a holiday and retirement resort. It offers a breathtaking view of the ocean.
Klawer was named after the wild clover growing in the area. During the flower season, the area is a kaleidoscope of colour. There are hiking trails as well as river-rafting along the Doring River.
Lutzville and Koekenaap are synonymous with wine and flowers in season.
Visitors can also view the Sishen-Saldanha Railway Bridge. Where the railway line spans the Olifants River, it is divided into 23 sections, each 45 m long. The 14 100-ton deck was pushed into position over teflon sheets with hydraulic jacks from the bridgehead. It is the longest bridge in the world built using this method.
Vanrhynsdorp houses the largest succulent nursery in South Africa. The Latsky Radio Museum houses a collection of old valve radios, some dating back to 1924. Birdwatching, mountain-biking, day walks, and hiking and 4x4 trails abound. The Troe-Troe and Rietpoort mission stations are a must-see for historians.
The West Coast's Mediterranean climate promises long, sun-drenched summer days, green winters and in spring time, fields of indigenous flora fed by cool ocean mists.
In summer the West Coast is hotter, drier and more windswept than Cape Town. Langebaan is consistently windy and has become a major kiteboarding and windsurfing destination, especially during the blustery summer months. It becomes increasingly drier further north and fog banks hug the coastline in winter.
Further inland at places like Clanwilliam and the striking Cederberg mountain range temperatures can soar to above 50 degrees C. In winter temperatures can plummet with occasional snow falls on the Cederberg peaks.
Spring is a great time to visit when spectacular wildflowers appear in the fields as far south as Darling and Yzerfontein. Peak flower season is August and September after the winter rains.
The West Coast region is the second largest contributor to the provincial GGP, after the City of Cape Town Metropole. The West Coast in fact outperformed the Western Cape in terms of growth in production over the short and long term while maintaining a lower than average unemployment rate.
These positive indicators do, however, hide some economic downfalls that are in need of attention if the region is to flourish further:
• A high GINI coefficient suggests that the distribution of wealth in the region is skewed, which explains the disproportionately high percentage of people that earn less than R1000 per month.
• The economy is dominated by two sectors, manufacturing and agriculture, leaving it perhaps prone to any unforeseen crises in either or both of these.
• The region as a whole does not meet the high level of education exhibited by the rest of the Western Cape.
To combat these shortcomings, the following principles were laid out in the economic development strategy:
• Economic development should be driven by local and external market forces, and must be aimed at long term viability and sustainability of economic activities.
• Economic development should be aimed at areas where there a high degree of agglomeration, implying already-established areas of industry and business should be built upon to make use of the existing infrastructure and service structures.
• Economic development should focus on empowering the local communities through education, training and skills development.
• Economic development should be aimed at diversifying the economic base of the region to reduce the amount of dependence on remains a limited number of employers.
• Economic should create employment opportunities and be conducive to economic growth and poverty alleviation.
Key contributing sectors
Agriculture
The West Coast is sandy country and the soil is mostly too poor to support any intensive farming. Consequently farms are large and the main activity is raising sheep.
A number of farmers also keep herds of cattle for slaughter and for milk - the area supports a considerable number of dairy farmers.
Wheat is grown on a small scale in several places and the cultivation of pasturage, especially lupins, is on the increase.
There are several wheat farmers around Vredenburg and the town has its own grain silo.
The agriculture industry in the West Coast comprises:
• Wheat • Canola • Olives • Grapes and wine • Rooibos tea • Fynbos • Fruit farming • Livestock • Vegetable production
At present wheat constitutes a significant part of the total farming activities on the West Coast, and in the Swartland Region, known as the province’s breadbasket, in particular. The region produces approximately 300 to 400 000 tons of wheat per annum.
Approximately 8 000 hectares of land is cultivated for canola in the West Coast. This does not meet the local demand however, with the result that canola seeds and other products are imported from international sources.
The fact that South Africa still imports many olive oil products does suggest though that opportunities exist for agro-processing and the manufacture of olive oil products.
The region's winelands are as scenic and as fertile as anywhere else in the province, producing wine and table grapes for the local and export markets.
Rooibos tea is indigenous to the west coast of South Africa. Between five and six thousand tons are produce per annum, but the region has the potential to produce up to 20 000 tons per annum which, with smart marketing, could see huge potential for international growth .
Apples, peaches, pears, grapes, prunes, apricots and figs occur predominantly in the region. Opportunities in the industry exist in exporting, especially to Europe and the Far East, as well as in fruit processing projects locally.
Animal products contribute 45.3% o the agricultural income, including poultry, fresh milk and dairy products, cattle meat, sheep meat and pork and pig products.
The region has excellent potential for the small scale production of vegetables for the export market to Europe. The climate and seasonal availability give the reason a great competitive advantage.
Fishing
South Africa's fishing industry has a long and eventful history. As early as 1658, a mere six years after the first permanent settlement at the Cape, four free burghers were given permission to settle in Saldanha Bay. They established themselves as fishermen and sold dried fish to the other burghers as well as to passing ships.
Today, three centuries later, the once unlimited fish stocks have been placed under such pressure through wastage and over-exploitation that it has become necessary to protect them from total decimation. As a result, the government has reduced catch quotas drastically across the whole industry. The number of fish meal and fish oil processing plants has also been reduced.
The visitor to Saldanha, St Helena Bay or West Point will see the number of factories strung out along the coast. In these, the region's marine wealth is canned or processed into fish oil and fish meal. In 1956 the industry started to regulate itself by forming a company for the centralised marketing and sale of canned fish products.
Currently, the industry consists of five sub-sectors:
• Deep sea fishing • Pelagic fishing • Rock lobster fishing • Line fishing • Mariculture
Fishing is a primary sector, which relies on natural resources. But it does provide various backward and forward linkages and several opportunities arise within these: backward linkages such as fishing and boating equipment, and harbour infrastructure; and forward linkages such as processing and packaging of various products.
The area with the highest growth potential in the region is in value-added processing and expansion into new fishing and mariculture activities. Traditional industry is limited, and so small scale operators must find niche products and markets to exploit.
The areas within the fishing industry with the best potential for growth include:
• Commercial abalone cultivation • Commercial abalone packaging • Commercial mussel farming • Commercial oyster farming • Partnerships for abalone, mussel and oyster packaging and processing operations
The Dried Fish Industry
The preparation and drying of fish for export has grown by leaps and bounds, especially in response to the growing demand for the product from South Africa.
Fish has been dried in this region with its dry summers for a long time and the well-known Cape Bokkom - a salted, dried mullet (several species belong to the Mugilidae family) - has been a cheap and practical source of protein for centuries. Supplying the market with a product at an affordable price was admirably filled by the pelagic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). It fitted the required specifications for moisture content, salt concentration and other health standards.
Crayfish
The West Coast crayfish - Jasus Ialandii - was enjoyed by the first Portuguese navigators, but this sought-after seafood delicacy only recently became really popular (and expensive). The West Coast crayfishing industry earns millions each year and employs large numbers of the local people.
In the previous century fishermen regarded these ubiquitous crayfish as a pest and when they caught them in their nets they would simply toss them overboard. Wagons loads of dead crayfish were collected and sold to farmers as fertiliser.
It was only when markets abroad started to show an increasing interest in crayfish that fishermen began to can the product - from 1890 onwards. In 1902 a full-blown crayfishing industry was in operation, canning and exporting crayfish to France in particular.
Today the product is known world-wide. The USA and Japan are two of it's biggest customers. Some crayfish are also exported live to gourmet markets overseas.
Crayfish are found mostly on the rocky seabed, closer inshore in some places, and live mainly on mussels. The crayfish has an interesting life-cycle. It takes from 7 to 10 years for a male crayfish to attain a catchable size. Female crayfish may take up to 20 years to reach this size. Some crayfish are taken by individual divers, but most of the commercial catches are made with nets and traps let down from boats.
In an attempt to control the exploitation of this dwindling resource, the total commercial catch is controlled by quotas. Catching as well as packaging and processing of crayfish products is a major source of employment in the region.
Crayfish factories are found all along the coast, especially in Saldanha, St Helena Bay, Elands Bay, Doring Bay and Lamberts Bay.
The Mussel & Oyster Industry
Mussels are fast becoming South Africa's biggest source of income from marine products and the industry is gaining a considerable export market for itself. Saldanha Bay is the growth point of this industry, with four established mussel farms and more in the planning stages.
The fertile waters of the Benguela Current, with its high concentrations of plankton, make Saldanha Bay an excellent natural breeding-ground for mussels. The mussels are grown on ropes suspended vertically in the water from floats. Before the ropes are let down, seed mussels packed into tubes of soluble netting and attached to them. The ropes are then left undisturbed in the nutrient-rich waters of the bay until the mussels reach the required marketable size of about 60mm. This usually takes from four to six months.
After the fully-grown mussels have been removed from the water, they are prepared for the market. A large percentage is steamed and then frozen. A certain proportion is canned, mainly for export.
The main variety of mussel cultivated is the European blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. This variety, which originates from the Mediterranean, only started to proliferate in Saldanha Bay in the last decade or two, probably after being transported here on the bottoms of the many ore carriers and oil tankers entering the harbour to load or unload their cargoes.
Oysters
In 1984 the Seafarm concern imported its first consignment of seed oysters from Whitstable in the United Kingdom for cultivation in Saldanha Bay. Today, stocks of seed oysters are imported from as far afield as Chile, Canada and the US, to be raised for a market which has a preference for oysters weighing between 65 g and 120 g.
The earliest oyster farms were founded in Knysna in 1948 but recently West Coast oysters have shown the potential to become market leaders. Seed oysters of 6 mm are ready for the market within 12 months. The high plankton levels found in the waters of Saldanha Bay give the oysters a delicate and distinctive flavour
Oysters need daily care for the first two months. After this, they are tended weekly and for the last three months they receive attention only once a month. Annual production is growing steadily and markets outside the country's borders are being investigated. Oysters are regularly airfreighted to Gauteng, where they arrive within 12 hours of being harvested.
Seaweed Industry
On the West Coast one finds two common varieties of seaweed: brown kelp (Ecklonia maxima) and the more delicate red seaweed (Gracilaria verrucosa), which occurs in sizable quantities. The seaweed is gathered along the whole southern African coastline, from Cape Agulus to Luderitz in Namibia.
Kelp is gathered on the beaches, dried, milled and packed into 50kg bags. It is then exported to the Far East, Europe and the US. Sodium alginate (agar agar) is the final product which is used in a variety of foodstuffs such as ice cream, sweets and certain medicines.
Red seaweed is commonly found on the beaches of Saldanha Bay. Many workers are kept busy gathering and drying this delicate plant. After cleaning, it is baled and exported to the Far East. This seaweed is used mainly in the production of jelly.
Cerebos Salt Industry
The dry summers and low rainfall of the West Coast make this region ideal for extracting salt from sea water. In addition, the many drying and canning factories provide a ready market for considerable quantities of salt.
In 1972 Cerebos erected a factory to the south of Velddrif, where the Berg River runs into the sea, to produce salt.
Thousands of tons of salt is produced here annually. It is destined primarily for the local market, although some is exported to Zimbabwe and to neighbouring Indian Ocean island.
The salt is marketed in various stages of coarseness. For the finest table salt, the crystals are dried after collection, ground up and graded using screens before being packed.
Mining
Although some mining activities occur in the region, the mining sector is not one of the West Coast’s dominant economic sectors. It is, however, considered to be important due to the linkages that exist between this sector and the manufacturing sector.
The following deposits are found in the West Coast:
• Limestone • Building sand/clay • Sandstone • Diamonds • Gypsum • Salt • Granite and marble • Tungsten • Kaolin
• Phosphate
The major linkages between the mining sector and other sectors such as manufacturing are transport, to the ports at Saldanha and Cape Town, and in slag and coal processing plants between the mine and the point of departure at Saldanha.
Apart from these processing and transport linkages, the only commercial mining opportunity with real potential for development is commercial mining for building sand and clay.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is the second most prominent economic sector in the municipality, contributing roughly 37% of the region GGP. Unfortunately, the sector is not very labour intensive.
There are three major types of manufacturing activities which occur on the West Coast:
• Agro-processing • Fish or marine resource processing • Mineral processing
Because manufacturing is a secondary industry, relying as it does on natural resources and other inputs, there are a number of forward linkages to the sector. These include infrastructure development, mineral resources, tourism, construction and services and labour.
The relatively small population size of the region is a limiting factor on the trade and services sectors and therefore results in a low level of diversification and specialisation. This is the case in wholesale and retail, but should not also be the case for tourism. Tourism should be actively promoted, to a market based outside of the municipality, to act as a balance against the other activities occurring on the West Coast.
The attraction of the West Coast is as much a cultural thing as anything else. The region offers scenery and style that is unique. The problems standing in the way of the industry, and herein lie the opportunities for development, are in the availability and quality of transport, the nature of seasonality, and a fragmented and inconsistent set-up, with no central organisation of the industry as a whole.
The Sishen-Saldanha Railway Line
This railway line crosses a large part of the West Coast area. If the safe natural harbour at Saldanha had not been there it would not have been possible to transport iron ore for export from the open-cast mines at Sishen in the Northern Cape and the railway line would have been connected to some other harbour. This railroad development boosted the development of Saldanha and created many new employment opportunities.
Saldanha's potential as a deep-sea harbour had long been recognised. As early as 1907 this natural harbour's potential was discussed in the press and it was remarked that the harbour was big enough to accommodate the whole British fleeet of the day. It is still the deepest, safest harbour in South Africa.
In 1953 Iscor (Iron and Steel Corporation) started mining iron ore near Sishen in the Northern Cape. Due to the depletion of some of the country's gold reserves in the 1960's and the discovery of a 4 000 million ton deposit of high-grade iron near Sishen, the feasibility of a new, large-scale iron-ore export project was investigated. These investigations led to Saldanha Bay being chosen as the best export harbour for the ore. The railway line connecting the iron-ore mines with the harbour was built as a result.
Construction on the railway line started on 1 June 1973 and the first ore train arrived at Saldanha on 14 May 1976. On 27 September of the same year the first ore carrier left Saldanha, bound for Europe.
Although the railway line was built to transport iron ore, almost 24% of its revenue is derived from the transport of other minerals such as zinc concentrates, salt, gypsum and coal.
The line is 861km long and is fully electrified. There are only three bends along the whole stretch, with a maximum radius of 1000m. The only tunnel is the Bobbejaansberg Tunnel, 840m long, near Elands Bay.
Areas in the manufacturing sector that have strong prediction presently and exhibit potential for growth include:
• Food processing • Chemical products • Non-metallic mineral products • Iron and basic steel industries • Non-ferrous metal industries • Metal products • Machinery • Electrical machinery • Other manufacturing
Within these areas, the following economic development opportunities exist:
• Small scale processing of dairy products • Small scale preservation of fruit and vegetables • Commercial preparation of animal feeds • Commercial and small scale processing of goods on farms • Commercial production of fertiliser and pesticides • Commercial production of petroleum refineries and petroleum products • Commercial and small scale downstream activities from iron and steel basic industries • Commercial production of other fabricated metals
• Commercial production of special industry machinery • Commercial production of other non electrical machinery
• Commercial production of radio, television and communication • Small scale production of jewellery
Boat Building
Other sectors
Other sectors that have traditionally not been strong in the region, but that are exhibiting exciting growth include the construction sector, the transport sector and the utilities sector.
The construction sector is the major growth sector here, as infrastructure and residential developments move out of the metropolitan area around Cape Town to the South. While the industry does bring employment opportunities and will benefit local suppliers, the fix is often only a temporary one, and means are needs to ensure that benefits last and development is sustainable.
The West Coast Region’s population, according to the Quantec 2008 and StatsSA
Community Survey 2007 was estimated to be 286 751. In the population distribution Map
it is evident that the population of the West Coast is thinly spread and major towns identified population rarely surpass 30 000.
It is clear in the graph depicted above that Saldanha Bay Municipality and Swartland
Municipality have had a major increase in population growth. This could be attributed to
people moving to these areas mainly because of economic and employment opportunities.
The West Coast District Management Area in contrary has shown almost no increase in
people moving to the area.
A further aspect of the physical distribution of the population is that the urban/ rural
composition of the northern municipalities (DMA, Matzikama, Cederberg, Bergrivier) is less
urbanised than the southern municipalities (Swartland, Saldanha Bay) (as percentage of
the total population per municipal area). The ratio between urban and rural did remain
constant from 1996 until now but would be inclined towards an increase in migration to
urbanised areas (which are mainly growth nodes as recipients from rural areas as well as
other urban areas).
The West Coast District's population composition is estimated to be as follows:
• Coloured households = 60% (47 245)
• White households = 20% (17 712)
• Black African households = 10% (8 327)
The West Coast District's estimated population growth rate for 2001-2007 was projected to
be 2, 3%. It has been projected that there will be a decline in the district's population
growth rate (1, 7%) by 2007-2015. This decline could possibly be attributed to the outmigration
of the youth, who is in search of better economic opportunities. It is estimated
that in 2010 that estimated population growth rate for Matzikama Municipality would be
3,7% whilst in 2005 the estimated growth rate was 4,75% thus showing a decline in the
population growth in 2010.
The estimated population growth rate for the Saldanha Bay Municipality in 2005 was 4,
53% whilst in 2010 it is estimated that the population growth rate would be 3, 48% thus showing a decline in the overall population growth rate in the West Coast Region
There is a high degree of illiteracy in the West Coast Region. The region has few educational
opportunities, but this is not an excuse for the high illiteracy rate in the area. It is
estimated that 29% of the population older than 14 years are illiterate, and the learner educator ratio is projected to be 37%.
Other educational initiatives are being launched in the region, such as the establishment of
Further Education and Training Colleges and the West Coast District's active involvement
in initiating AET programmes throughout the region. In addition, various AET Satellite Programmes have been implemented in the District Management Area due to the high level of illiteracy prevalent in this area.
16 052 people in the West Coast Region have no schooling; whilst 79 041 of the population has some secondary schooling. The Saldanha Bay Municipality according to the research demonstrates that 10 635 of its population have higher education with Swartland Municipality following suit with 9558 of its population who has higher education.
The Department Social and Economic Development are deriving educational initiatives that
are being launched in the region, such as the establishment of Further Education and
Training Colleges and the West Coast District's active involvement in initiating AET
programmes throughout the region. In addition, various AET Satellite Programmes have
been implemented in the District Management Area due to the high level of illiteracy
prevalent in this area.
The Department of Education and the West Coast District in conjunction with the Municipalities need to devise a long-term educational strategy for the West Coast which will
enhance educational opportunities in the region. As part of the West Coast District’s
intergovernmental relationship with the Department of Education in the Western Cape, the
WCDM has successfully facilitated the re-opening of the primary school in the Algeria
community. This is a major achievement for the community of Algeria as the children no
longer have to travel 30-40 km outside the area. The West Coast District Municipality is in
discussion with the Department of Education in establishing educational forums which will
address issues and challenges relating to education in the various sub-districts.
During 2007 the Department of Agriculture opened a satellite campus namely the Cape
Institute for Agricultural Training in Clanwilliam
West Coast Collage
West Coast College is a public Further Education and Training (FET) College where learners will gain a meaningful qualification to gain access to the world of work; become an entrepreneur; or enter university, depending on subject choices.
List of Schools
Velddrif
Hoërskool Velddrif
Noordhoek Primary School
St Helena Bay
H P Williams Primary School
St Helena Bay Primary School
Stompeusbaai EK Primary School
Steenbergs Cove Primary School
Vredenburg
Learning Legends Private Remedial School
Saldanha Lighthouse Christian Academy
High School Vredenburg
Vredenburg Primary School
Eden Primary School
Panorama Primary School
Weston Secondary School
Jurie Hayes Primary School
Paternoster
St Augustine's Primary School
Saldanha
Saldanha Primary School
St Andrew's Primary School
Diazville Senior Secondary School
West Coast Special School
Diazville Primary School
Langebaan
Topolina Private School
Langebaan Primary School
Langebaanweg Primary School
Langebaan Lagoon is famous for hosting all kind of water activities, and sports on the lagoon is safer than most other places – it is basically impossible to drift into the deep sea. Yachting, kayaking, canoeing and rowing, windsurfing, kite surfing, water skiing, jet skiing and surfing. The Berg River Canoe Marathon is annual river canoe race is held on the Berg River and covers a distance of over 250km from Paarl all the way to Velddrif.
Safety and security issues are a major concern throughout the region. Due to the high rate
of unemployment, most people attribute the high level of crime to the high percentage of
poorer households in the region. Substance abuse is also on the increase, especially
amongst the youth; thus people are linking substance abuse to the high rate of crime in
their respective areas.
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