Mossel Bay Local Municipality: History
At the end of the apartheid era, the area that is today the Mossel Bay Municipality formed part of the South Cape Regional Services Council (RSC). The towns of Mossel Bay, Hartenbos, Great Brak River and Herbertsdale were governed by municipal councils elected by their white residents. The coloured residents of D'Almeida (Mossel Bay) and Great Brak River were governed by management committees subordinate to the white councils. Kwanonqaba was governed by a town council established under the Black Local Authorities Act, 1982. The smaller coastal resorts were governed by local councils: a council for Boggomsbaai, a council covering Little Brak River, Reebok and Tergniet, and another council named Gleniqua covering Glentana, Outeniquastrand and Bothastrand. The former missionary settlement of Friemersheim was governed by a board of management.
While the negotiations to end apartheid were taking place a process was established for local authorities to agree on voluntary mergers. In March 1992, the Municipality of Great Brak River, the Great Brak River Management Committee and the Gleniqua Local Council merged into a single Municipality for the Area of Great Brak River.
After the national elections of 1994 a process of local government transformation began, in which negotiations were held between the existing local authorities, political parties, and local community organisations. As a result of these negotiations, the existing local authorities were dissolved and transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village. The smaller seaside resorts were also combined with larger towns.
Herbertsdale TLC replaced the Municipality of Herbertsdale in December 1994.
Friemersheim TLC replaced the Friemersheim Management Board in January 1995.
Mossel Bay TLC replaced the Municipalities of Mossel Bay and Hartenbos, the D'Almeida Management Committee, the Kwanonqaba Town Council, the Boggomsbaai Local Council, and the Klein Brak River, Reebok and Tergniet Local Council in February 1995.
Great Brak River TLC replaced the Municipality for the Area of Great Brak River in February 1995.
The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held. At the time of these elections the South Cape District Council was established in place of the South Cape RSC, and transitional representative councils (TRCs) were elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council. The area that was to become Mossel Bay Municipality included the Mossel Bay TRC and a small part of the Outeniqua TRC.
At the local elections of December 2000 the TLCs and TRCs were dissolved and the Mossel Bay Municipality was established as a single local authority. At the same election the South Cape District Council was dissolved and replaced by the Eden District Municipality.