The best-run municipality in South Africa’s best-run province
Drakenstein Municipality has been recognised as the best municipality in the Western Cape after securing its 11th clean audit for the 2024/2025 financial year.
The Auditor-General of South Africa once again affirmed that the municipality’s financial management, governance, and service delivery processes are operating at the highest standard.
This latest audit marked Drakenstein’s seventh consecutive clean audit and its 18th unqualified audit opinion since 2011.
The Western Cape province has remained the outlier in a country where municipal failure has become the norm, and Drakenstein has emerged as the standout performer.
Its latest clean audit contributed to the municipality being named the best in the province at the 2025 Western Cape Government’s Service Excellence Awards, where it received the Gold Award.
Swartland took Silver, and Mossel Bay received Bronze. Drakenstein was recognised as a leader in governance, innovation, and service delivery.
Drakenstein’s Executive Mayor, Councillor Stephen Korabie, said the clean audit represents far more than compliance.
“Achieving our 11th clean audit is a powerful statement about Drakenstein Municipality’s unwavering commitment to integrity, accountability and excellence,” he said.
“This milestone is not just a number. It reflects the hard work, resilience, and dedication of an exceptional team that kept its focus in the face of many challenges. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together.”
Located an hour from Cape Town, Drakenstein is the largest economy in the Cape Winelands and home to more than 311,000 residents.
Its jurisdiction includes the historic towns of Paarl and Wellington, making it a key regional hub and an important contributor to the Western Cape’s overall economic performance.
The Auditor-General’s clean audit confirmed that Drakenstein’s systems exceed the standards expected of local governments.
A clean audit requires both sound financial reporting and effective internal controls. In Drakenstein’s case, the Auditor-General also assessed operational processes designed to ensure reliable service delivery—and found them functioning well.
One of the most successful years in history
The municipality noted that a major part of its success lies in its Internal Audit Division, which ensures that feedback from the Auditor-General is turned into tangible improvements.
Drakenstein is also the first municipality in South Africa to convert its Municipal Audit Action Plan into Departmental Audit Action Plans.
City Manager Dr Johan Leibbrandt said this has been crucial in driving accountability across the organisation.
“These DAAPs provide clear, department-specific directives, creating a structured roadmap for continuous improvement and accountability across the Municipality,” he explained.
Leibbrandt stressed that the internal audit team also plays an essential role in maintaining high standards.
“Our internal auditors, under the leadership of our Chief Audit Executive, Rozan Jaftha, are our first line of defence. We have a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving our business processes,” he said.
The municipality’s audit outcome caps what officials describe as one of the most successful years in Drakenstein’s history.
Over the past year, it has collected several major awards that reflect its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and world-class service delivery.
In June 2025, Drakenstein won the Schneider Electric Sustainability Impact Award for the Anglophone Africa region for its progress in decarbonisation and environmental management.
Two months later, in August, it received the Municipal Innovation Recognition Award for its Indigent Management System.
This system is a technology-driven approach to identifying and supporting vulnerable households more efficiently and compassionately.
During the same event, it was also recognised for its readiness for digital transformation.
By September 2025, Drakenstein Municipality was named the Best Municipality at the Western Cape Government’s Service Excellence Awards.
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