Western Cape Business 2017 edition

SPECIAL FEATURE
2016 were for job creation (Doring Bay Abalone was
the winner), innovation (Praelexis, a data company)
and emerging rural business (Anja’s Pantry from
Vredenburg).
West Coast District Municipality
Towns: Saldanha Bay, Malmesbury, Clanwilliam,
Vredenburg, Moorreesburg.
The economy of this region ranges from manufacturing
in Saldanha, Atlantis and Malmesbury to
agriculture and forestry centred on inland towns
like Moorreesburg (wheat) and Cederberg (forestry)
and Citrusdal. Cement is made in Riebeek West and
Piketberg and fishing takes place all along the coast.
Rooibos tea and shoes are made in Clanwilliam. The
remote mission station of Wupperthal is famous for
its veldskoens. The Port of Saldanha Bay is the principal
port for the export of iron ore and is gearing
itself to service the continent’s oil and gas industry
and to be a steel manufacturing hub. Mineral sands
are mined north of Saldanha.
Cape Winelands District Municipality
Towns: Stellenbosch, Paarl, Worcester, Robertson,
Wellington, Franschhoek.
Nearly 70% of South Africa’s wine comes from this
area. Vineyards also attract many tourists but tourism
in the Winelands includes wellness spas, adventure
tourism and game farms. Manufacturing is concentrated
on processing grapes and fruit into wine, juice,
brandy, dried and tinned fruit products. Dairy manufacturer
Parmalat has an award-winning cheesemaking
facility in Bonnievale. Robertson is known
for roses and thoroughbred horses. Stellenbosch
is home to its eponymous university and houses
the headquarters of several large companies, such
as PSG Group.
Overberg District Municipality
Towns: Caledon, Bredasdorp, Hermanus,
Swellendam, Cape Agulhas.
The Overberg contains the southernmost tip of
Africa (Cape Agulhas), the oldest mission station in
South Africa (Genadendal), a large casino resort (in
Caledon) and some of the best whale viewing in the
world (Whale Coast). It also hosts some high-quality
fruit farms in the Ceres Valley and rural villages that
NAMIBIA
Northern Cape
Northern Cape
WESTERN
CAPE
BOTSWANA
North West
Free State
Eastern Cape
Limpopo
ZIMBABWE
Mpumalanga
Gauteng
SWAZI-
LAND
LESOTHO
KwaZulu-
Natal
are popular with tourists, such as Barrydale and
Greyton. Agriculture is the principal economic activity
of the region and the services sector is strong.
Eden District Municipality
Towns: George, Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp, Knysna,
Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay.
The area has two important tourist components:
the Cape Garden Route on the coast and the Klein
Karoo between the mountain ranges. Route 62 is a
popular route that ends (or starts) in Oudtshoorn,
home of the Cango Caves. A report by the Bureau for
Economic Research (Stellenbosch University) found
that Eden District is one of the best-performing
regions because of tourism. Mossel Bay hosts the
country’s main gas-processing plant while George
is a node of manufacturing, trade, tourism and administration.
The Klein Karoo has its own wine route
and port, cheese and brandy are produced. Fruit,
vegetables and ostriches are other main products.
Central Karoo District Municipality
Towns: Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Prince Albert.
The largest district in the province has the smallest
population, a reflection of the semi-desert conditions.
Sheep farming predominates. Beaufort West
is strategically positioned on the N1 highway, which
links Cape Town with the interior of South Africa. It is
nearby the Karoo National Park and not far from Prince
Albert, a quaint town situated in the shadow of the
Swartberg Mountain. Prince Albert is a popular tourist
destination and is close to the dramatic portals that
link the Karoo to the Klein Karoo: Seweweekspoort,
the Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort.
MOZAMBIQUE
19 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017