ALL RACES NOW NUMBER 11 894: The number of people living in the Hermanus magisterial area is increasing – but only just. Last year, some 11 894 lived here, an increase of 160 on the year before. The White population is put at 4 640 by the Hermanus Magistrate Mr. D. M. Fourie in his annual report. The White population of Hermanus, Gansbaai, Stanford, Onrust, according to the 1960 census, numbered 4 598. At the end of 1970, this had risen to 4 603 and by 1971 to 4 640, an increase of only 37. The biggest growing community is that of the Coloureds which again went ahead last year, recording an increase of 113 to reach 6 120. In 1960 there were 4 533 Coloureds in the area. There were eight Asiatics in 1960 in the area and only five last year. The Bantu population rises and falls. In 1960 it stood at 1 225 but dropped to 1 109 last year in 1970 and rose again last year to 1 129.
A study of population trends in Hermanus, made in preliminary reports for the now announced town planning proposals, show the White population is expected to increase by 1.7 per cent a year, the Coloureds by 4.8 per cent, the Bantu 8.8 per cent with an overall rise of 2.98 per cent a year.