Klapmuts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Klapmuts
Klapmuts hill ("Klapmutskop") from which the town gets its name.
Klapmuts hill ("Klapmutskop") from which the town gets its name.
Klapmuts is located in Western Cape
Klapmuts
Klapmuts
 Klapmuts shown within Western Cape
Coordinates: 33°48′20″S 18°52′11″E / 33.80556°S 18.86972°E / -33.80556; 18.86972Coordinates: 33°48′20″S 18°52′11″E / 33.80556°S 18.86972°E / -33.80556; 18.86972
Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
District Cape Winelands
Municipality Stellenbosch
Area[1]
 • Total 1.76 km2 (0.68 sq mi)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 7,703
 • Density 4,400/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 33.5%
 • Coloured 64.2%
 • Indian/Asian 0.3%
 • White 1.0%
 • Other 1.0%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 72.2%
 • Xhosa 21.6%
 • Sotho 2.4%
 • English 1.9%
 • Other 1.9%
PO box 7625

Klapmuts is the name of both a hill, and a town which formed at its foot. They are located in Cape Winelands District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa.[2]

Klapmuts town[edit]

Klapmuts is a little town just off the R45 road between Kraaifontein and Paarl,[3] It is well known for its surrounding wine farms. The Afrikaans Taal Museum in Klapmuts is a Georgian-style house built in the 1860s, with many exhibits from Afrikaans theatre, radio and television.[4]

Klapmutskop hill and conservancy[edit]

Fynbos vegetation on Klapmuts hill.

Klapmutskop, the isolated hill which stands over the town, is a unique combination of Shale, Sandstone, Granite and Conglomerate. Its natural vegetation is a complex mixture, due to the underlying soils. It is predominantly the threatened Swartland Shale Renosterveld as well as several other vegetation types on the other soil types. The crown of the hill has an ancient relict remnant of Afrotemperate forest with a population of rare Breede River Yellowwood trees - stunted by the unique environment.

In 2004, a conservancy was set up over the hill by the surrounding farms, which serve as curators of the area and its wildlife.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Klapmuts". Census 2011. 
  2. ^ http://za.geoview.info/klapmutskop,3365929
  3. ^ "Klapmuts, Cape Winelands". SA-Venues.com. Retrieved 7 January 2014. 
  4. ^ "Klapmuts Information". Where To Stay. Retrieved 7 January 2014. 
  5. ^ http://www.elsenburg.com/srm/landcare.html Downloadable documents on Klapmutskop conservancy