Cacadu District
CACADU DISTRICT
Local municipalities are: Makana (Grahamstown); Ndlambe (Port Alfred, Alexandria); Sunday's River Valley, (Kirkwood, Addo); Blue Crane Route (Pearston, Somerset East, Cookhouse); Camdeboo (Graaf-Reinet, Aberdeen); Ikwezi (Jansenville, Kliplaat); Baviaans (Willowmore, Steytlerville); Kou-Kamma (Kareedouw, Tsitsikamma); Kouga (Humansdorp, Jeffrey's Bay, St Francis Bay).
Cacadu covers the rural western areas of the province. At 58,242 square kilometres, it is the largest of the six districts. The district forms the rural hinterland beyond Port Elizabeth. The coastal belt is a temperate, winter-rainfall area, with rains of 500 to 700 mm per annum and above. The beautiful Tsitsikamma and Baviaans Parks lie in the extreme west of the district, close to the Western Cape. The interior is mostly dry Karoo and grasslands composed of large commercial farms and vast expanses. The historic town of Graaf-Reinet is an important centre in the north of the district. Despite the arid interior, the Sundays and Fish Rivers support extensive irrigated farming and are fed by water from the Orange River under the Fish River Transfer Scheme. Grahamstown, in the east, is home to Rhodes University and the National Arts Festival.
This rural district has a population of about 390,000, with a low population density of seven people per square kilometre. The district has a substantial coloured population (36% of the population), with Africans in the majority (52%) and a higher proportion of whites (11%) than other districts.
Cacadu ranks as a third largest economy of the province, with 9% of provincial value added. Agriculture dominates the district’s economy, contributing 28% of all value added and 41% of formal employment. Small-stock farming predominates in the dry Karoo interior. This is the centre of wool and mohair farming in the Eastern Cape, providing a high proportion of world mohair production. Karoo mutton is known for its high quality and is also exported. Cattle and dairy farming are strong in the areas around Grahamstown, Cookhouse, Alexandria and Humansdorp. The Langkloof valley is home to deciduous fruit production of apples and pears. Major citrus farming areas are irrigated from the Sundays and Fish Rivers. Deciduous and citrus fruit is exported through Port Elizabeth. Commercial forestry is present around Tsitsikamma and Grahamstown. A small fishing industry operates from St Francis, centred on rock lobster.
The biggest employer is agriculture (32.4%). Manufacturing, centred on agro-processing, is a relatively small sector, providing 10% of value added and 7% of employment. Food and dairy processing and furniture production are present in the larger towns of Grahamstown and Humansdorp. Small businesses and craft co-operatives in the small towns of the Karoo produce wool and mohair garments, mostly hand-knitted. Tourism is well established in Cacadu and the district has established its own network of tourism routes. Tourism attractions include the well-known Tsitsikamma, Baviaans and Addo National Parks and the coastal resorts of Jeffrey's Bay and Port Alfred. Farm tourism is beginning to develop in the Karoo, and Graaf-Reinet is visited for its history and architecture. Many of the place names in the far south of the district have Khoi and San roots. The Khoisan Cultural Village at Tsitsikamma is the first of many planned attractions to reflect this heritage. Government services play a significant role in the economy, providing 28% of value and 23% of formal employment.
OPPORTUNITIES
Local municipalities are: Makana (Grahamstown); Ndlambe (Port Alfred, Alexandria); Sunday's River Valley, (Kirkwood, Addo); Blue Crane Route (Pearston, Somerset East, Cookhouse); Camdeboo (Graaf-Reinet, Aberdeen); Ikwezi (Jansenville, Kliplaat); Baviaans (Willowmore, Steytlerville); Kou-Kamma (Kareedouw, Tsitsikamma); Kouga (Humansdorp, Jeffrey's Bay, St Francis Bay).
Cacadu covers the rural western areas of the province. At 58,242 square kilometres, it is the largest of the six districts. The district forms the rural hinterland beyond Port Elizabeth. The coastal belt is a temperate, winter-rainfall area, with rains of 500 to 700 mm per annum and above. The beautiful Tsitsikamma and Baviaans Parks lie in the extreme west of the district, close to the Western Cape. The interior is mostly dry Karoo and grasslands composed of large commercial farms and vast expanses. The historic town of Graaf-Reinet is an important centre in the north of the district. Despite the arid interior, the Sundays and Fish Rivers support extensive irrigated farming and are fed by water from the Orange River under the Fish River Transfer Scheme. Grahamstown, in the east, is home to Rhodes University and the National Arts Festival.
This rural district has a population of about 390,000, with a low population density of seven people per square kilometre. The district has a substantial coloured population (36% of the population), with Africans in the majority (52%) and a higher proportion of whites (11%) than other districts.
Cacadu ranks as a third largest economy of the province, with 9% of provincial value added. Agriculture dominates the district’s economy, contributing 28% of all value added and 41% of formal employment. Small-stock farming predominates in the dry Karoo interior. This is the centre of wool and mohair farming in the Eastern Cape, providing a high proportion of world mohair production. Karoo mutton is known for its high quality and is also exported. Cattle and dairy farming are strong in the areas around Grahamstown, Cookhouse, Alexandria and Humansdorp. The Langkloof valley is home to deciduous fruit production of apples and pears. Major citrus farming areas are irrigated from the Sundays and Fish Rivers. Deciduous and citrus fruit is exported through Port Elizabeth. Commercial forestry is present around Tsitsikamma and Grahamstown. A small fishing industry operates from St Francis, centred on rock lobster.
The biggest employer is agriculture (32.4%). Manufacturing, centred on agro-processing, is a relatively small sector, providing 10% of value added and 7% of employment. Food and dairy processing and furniture production are present in the larger towns of Grahamstown and Humansdorp. Small businesses and craft co-operatives in the small towns of the Karoo produce wool and mohair garments, mostly hand-knitted. Tourism is well established in Cacadu and the district has established its own network of tourism routes. Tourism attractions include the well-known Tsitsikamma, Baviaans and Addo National Parks and the coastal resorts of Jeffrey's Bay and Port Alfred. Farm tourism is beginning to develop in the Karoo, and Graaf-Reinet is visited for its history and architecture. Many of the place names in the far south of the district have Khoi and San roots. The Khoisan Cultural Village at Tsitsikamma is the first of many planned attractions to reflect this heritage. Government services play a significant role in the economy, providing 28% of value and 23% of formal employment.
OPPORTUNITIES
- Livestock: Small-stock farming (sheep and goats) in the Karoo can be expanded through farm worker enterprises and to provide wool, mohair and meat for processing. Cattle farming can be developed through mixed farming with game. The commercial dairy industry has its base in the district and is a source for growth.
- Crops: Irrigation can be expanded in the Fish and Sundays River catchments by increasing water transferred from the Orange River, giving opportunities for further citrus production and high value horticultural production (vegetables, flowers, exotics). Sugar beet is being developed in the Fish River Valley between Cookhouse and Cradock.
- Forestry can be expanded to a limited extent in the Tsitsikamma and the areas around Grahamstown, but potential lies more in wood products and links to furniture.
- Fishing: A small fishing fleet operating from St Francis Bay and Port Alfred may have limited opportunities to expand with new quota allocations to the province. Potential lies more in aquaculture.
- Food processing is currently centred on the strong local dairy industry with room for further expansion. Canning and bottling of deciduous and citrus fruits and fruit juices is a major opportunity.
- Wool and mohair can provide the raw material for a growing apparel and garments industry, growing initially from the existing small weavers and craft co-operatives, but diversifying into high-value hand knitted fashion items.
- Furniture has high potential with existing forestry in Tsitsikamma and Grahamstown. High-value custom-made hand-crafted furniture will have higher potential and can develop local employment, with limited opportunities for hardwood furniture.
- Leather and leather goods is already a small local industry, with a base in Grahamstown. The potential lies in high-value fashion leather goods and clothing, automotive seat leather and in exotic hides and skins. As livestock revives, the industry can expand.
- Tourism has massive potential for growth. The Addo and Baviaans Parks and the Fish River reserve are expanding, and will increase the attraction of game reserves in the district. A strong base in beach, marina and sports tourism, including surfing, can be developed further. The district has many diverse attractions and has already established tourism to link up and promote tourism.
