It also includes the villages of Napier, Struisbaai, Elim, Arniston and L'Agulhas, and the De Hoop Nature Reserve.

The municipality covers an area of 3,467 square kilometres (1,339 sq mi) in the Southern Overberg, covering a radius of 30 to 40 kilometres (19 to 25 mi) around Bredasdorp as well as a panhandle extending east to include the De Hoop Nature Reserve.

The 2022 South African census recorded a population of 40,274 people in the municipality, increasing at a rate of 1.9% annually from 2011.

In the election of 1 November 2021, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won a plurality of seats on the council, one short of a majority.

Coloured residents elected management committees, which were subordinate to the white local authorities, in Bredasdorp, Napier, Arniston and Struisbaai.

Rural areas outside of these settlements were served by the Overberg Regional Services Council.

As a result of these negotiations, transitional local councils (TLCs) were created for each town and village.

The transitional councils were initially made up of members nominated by the various parties to the negotiations, until May 1996 when elections were held.

Transitional representative councils (TRCs) were also elected to represent rural areas outside the TLCs on the District Council; the area that was to become the Cape Agulhas Municipality included most of the Bredasdorp TRC as well as parts of the Caledon TRC.