District

A District in Scouts South Africa (SSA) functions as a crucial administrative and operational unit, established to manage, support, and oversee Scout Groups within a designated geographic area. Districts are typically organized based on geographic proximity to enable effective management, coordination of activities, and resource sharing among Groups.

Purpose

The purpose of a district within SSA is to streamline the administration of Groups to ensure unified and effective operations that are aligned with the national goals of SSA. Districts enhance interaction, collaboration, and support among their Groups, fostering a robust Scouting environment through coordinated activities and shared resources.

Structure and Organization

Districts are defined by geographic boundaries, which are confirmed by Regional Commissioner (RC). This delineation ensures straightforward jurisdiction and operational management. Each district is managed by a District Commissioner (DC), appointed following the guidelines set forth in SSA’s Adult Support Policy and based on recommendations from the Regional Commissioner.

Functions of a District

Scouting Activities and Events

Districts organize various Scouting activities, including:

1. Camps
2. Hikes
3. Competitions
4. Badge training sessions

Support and Development

Districts facilitate training and development for Scouters, fostering leadership and understanding of Scouting principles. They also provide strategic guidance and resources to Scout Groups, especially those starting up, or facing challenges, to aid in their recovery and development.

Community Engagement

Districts engage with local communities to enhance the visibility and impact of Scouting, fostering supportive relationships and community involvement through service projects and local events.

Policy Adherence and Record Keeping

Districts provide support to ensure that all Scout Groups adhere to SSA’s national policies and guidelines, maintaining comprehensive records of activities, member advancements, and administrative actions for governance and compliance purposes.

District Scouters’ Team

The District Scouters' Team, chaired by the DC, is composed of:

• Scout Group Leaders (SGLs) from within the District.
• Court of Honour (CoH) representatives from the District.
• Members of the Support Team in the Region who have been assigned to support the Groups in that District.

This team assists the DC in providing effective support to all groups within the district, ensuring communication between Scouters and coordinating district-wide events and activities.

District Meetings

District meetings (also known as District Scouters' Council) are conducted quarterly, and attended by the District Scouters' Team. Additionally, Scouters from all units across the District are encouraged to attend.

This meeting typically convenes to:

1. Maintain communication with and between all the Scouters in the District.
2. Ensure coordination of activities and events in the District.
3. Advise the DC of support required by Groups.

These meetings ensure that decisions and activities within the district align with SSA’s strategic goals and support the continuous development of youth members to become better citizens.

Districts Across South Africa

Below are the distribution of Scout groups in each district, based on the region. For more information, please see Scout Groups in South Africa.

Eastern Cape North

Region	District	Groups
Eastern Cape North	Amathola South East	2
Eastern Cape North	Joe Gqabi	1
Eastern Cape North	OR Tambo	3

Eastern Cape South

Region	District	Groups
Eastern Cape South	BCM Amathola	2
Eastern Cape South	BCM East London	4
Eastern Cape South	Country Districts	2
Eastern Cape South	NMM Northern Areas	1
Eastern Cape South	NMM Port Elizabeth	9

Gauteng

Region	District	Groups
Gauteng	East Rand	12
Gauteng	Eland	8
Gauteng	North Rand	13
Gauteng	North West	10
Gauteng	Northern	4
Gauteng	Randburg	8
Gauteng	Sandton	8
Gauteng	Southern	7
Gauteng	Tshwane North East	11
Gauteng	Tshwane South	11
Gauteng	West Rand	9

KwaZulu Natal

Region	District	Groups
KwaZulu Natal	Amajuba	14
KwaZulu Natal	Empangeni	5
KwaZulu Natal	Greater Durban	10
KwaZulu Natal	Highway	9
KwaZulu Natal	Ilembe	9
KwaZulu Natal	King Cetshwayo	4
KwaZulu Natal	Northern Natal	2
KwaZulu Natal	Obonjeni	4
KwaZulu Natal	Phongola	2
KwaZulu Natal	Pietermaritzburg	7
KwaZulu Natal	Pinetown	38
KwaZulu Natal	Sisonke	1
KwaZulu Natal	Stainbank Coastal and Lower South Coast	8
KwaZulu Natal	Ugu	10
KwaZulu Natal	Umgungundlovu	24
KwaZulu Natal	Umlazi	30
KwaZulu Natal	Umzinyathi	23
KwaZulu Natal	Uthukela	13
KwaZulu Natal	Uthungulu	2
KwaZulu Natal	Vryheid	5
KwaZulu Natal	Zululand	4

Limpopo

Region	District	Groups
Limpopo	Acornhoek	1
Limpopo	Capricorn	1
Limpopo	Julesburg	14
Limpopo	Makhado	1
Limpopo	Motupa	4
Limpopo	Mugodeni Grace	2
Limpopo	Nkowankowa	5
Limpopo	Shiluvane	5
Limpopo	Unknown Limpopo District	25

Mpumalanga

Region	District	Groups
Mpumalanga	Hazy	11
Mpumalanga	Inyamazane	3
Mpumalanga	Mpumalanga East	4
Mpumalanga	Mpumalanga West	2
Mpumalanga	Nkomazi	1
Mpumalanga	Nsikazi	7

North West

Region	District	Groups
North West	Klerksdorp	2
North West	Mafikeng	6
North West	Potchefstroom	5
North West	Rustenburg	2

Northern Cape

Region	District	Groups
Northern Cape	Kimberley and Country	9
Northern Cape	Kuruman	12

Western Cape

Region	District	Groups
Western Cape	Atlantic CW1-2	4
Western Cape	Constantiaberg CW9	9
Western Cape	Country CW45	2
Western Cape	Guguletu CW25	4
Western Cape	Helderberg CW14	7
Western Cape	Impeesa CW34	5
Western Cape	Kanonkop CW22	8
Western Cape	Khayelisha CW27	2
Western Cape	Liesbeek CW6-8	9
Western Cape	Mitchells Plain CW11	5
Western Cape	Outeniqua CW42	4
Western Cape	Table Bay District CW12	9
Western Cape	Two Oceans CW10	10

See also

• Scout Groups in South Africa
• Regions of Scouts South Africa