Mossel Bay Municipality (; ) is a municipality located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. the population was 89,430. Geography The municipality covers an area of on the coastal plain between the Outeniqua Mountains and the sea. It stretches from the Gourits River in the west to beyond the Great Brak River in the east. It is drained by the Gourits, Hartenbos, Little Brak and Great Brak Rivers. It abuts on the Hessequa Municipality to the west, the Oudtshoorn Municipality to the north and the George Municipality to the east. According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 89,430 people in 28,025 households. Of this population, 43.5% describe themselves as "Coloured", 29.5% as "Black African", and 25.5% as "White". The first language of 67.6% of the population is Afrikaans, while 21.5% speak Xhosa, 6.5% speak English and 1.3% speak Sotho. The principal town is Mossel Bay on the Cape St Blaize peninsula, which as of 2011 has a population of 59,031. Northeast of Mossel Bay is a string of coastal resorts along the shores of the bay: Hartenbos (pop. 4,196), Little Brak River (pop. 2,037), Reebok (pop. 1,112), Tergniet (pop. 1,264) and Great Brak River (pop. 10,619). To the southwest of Mossel Bay are the smaller coastal villages of Boggomsbaai (pop. 69) and Vleesbaai (pop. 193). Herbertsdale (pop. 666), Brandwag (pop. 1,470) and Friemersheim (pop. 1,235) are situated in the interior of the municipality closer to the mountains. 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