The best-run municipality in South Africa where the average resident makes R345,000
The average taxpayer in the best municipality in the Western Cape, Drakenstein Local Municipality, earns roughly R345,000 a year.
This is according to the latest tax statistics released by the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The report showed that residents of the Drakenstein Local Municipality have one of the highest average taxable incomes in the Western Cape.
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.
SARS data shows that the municipality has 55,618 registered taxpayers with an average taxable income of R345,282 a year, working out to roughly R28,774 per month.
The figures were published as part of SARS’ 2025 Tax Statistics, which are compiled using data from taxpayer registers and submitted tax returns.
The statistics are designed to provide deeper insight into South Africa’s tax base, the sources of government revenue, and broader economic trends across the country.
SARS also uses this data to inform policymakers, including the National Treasury, when making decisions related to taxation and economic policy.
The tax authority’s latest figures once again highlight how concentrated South Africa’s tax base is, with a relatively small group of taxpayers contributing a significant share of the country’s personal and corporate income tax revenue.
The tax stats also provided a breakdown of average taxable income by province and municipality, giving a clearer picture of which areas have the highest-earning taxpayers.
Provincially, Gauteng remained the wealthiest in terms of average taxable income, with taxpayers earning an average of about R414,000 a year.
This is followed by the Western Cape, where the average taxable income is approximately R348,000.
11 clean audits and counting
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.”
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.
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