Page 160 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

158  C APE T OWN

Beautiful coastline of the beach at False Bay Nature Reserve
0 False Bay Nature being choked by vegeta tion, As South Africa’s second-largest
Reserve and the herd of eland – Africa’s township (after Soweto), it is
largest antelope – that joined also the country’s fastest-
Road Map B5. Entrances on Perth them in 2015. Other wild life growing settlement, with a pre-
and Zeekooivlei Road. Tel 021 706 ranges from small predators dominantly Xhosa population
2404. Open 7:30am–5pm daily such as the Cape clawless otter that has soared from 30,000 in
(Dec–Feb: to 7pm Sat & Sun). and large-spotted genet to the late 1980s to an estimated
∑ capetown.gov.za/naturereserves
endangered endemics such as 400,000 today.
The largest remaining swathe of the Cape dwarf chameleon and Khayelitsha is conspicuously
green on the Cape Flats, False western leopard toad. Rondevlei poorer than Langa, it’s neigh-
Bay Nature Reserve, protects a aside, the most frequently bouring township.Unemploy-
rich biodiversity of fragile visited of the other five sectors ment stands at more than 50
habitats including several are Strandfontein, whose percent, and more than half of
perennial lakes and marshes, and sewerage works might lack the the township’s residents live
relict patches of Cape Flats Dune aesthetic appeal of Rondevlei in makeshift shacks, despite
Strandveld and Sand Fynbos but often offers even better the construction of 25,000
(both critically endangered types birding, and Zeekooivlei (“Hippo government houses since
of vegetation). Extending over Pan”), a large lake primarily used the turn of the millennium.
2,300 ha (5,684 acres) northeast for local recreation activities. An overview of Khayelitsha
of Muizenberg, the reserve was can be obtained from a viewing
recognised as a Ramsar wetland platform on Lookout Hill, the
in 2015, and it is also listed as an Cape Flats’ tallest sand dune.
IBA (Important Bird Area), with Heading into the township,
more than 240 bird species Khayelitsha Craft Market,
recorded. The reserve has existed housed at St Michael’s Church,
only in its present form since was established in 1997 as a
2011, but the Rondevlei (literally place where local craftspeople
“Round Pan”) Sector – the oldest and artists can create and sell
of its six parts and the best their work, much of which
developed for tourists – was makes imaginative use of
designated as a bird sanctuary recycled household objects
in 1952. to create beadwork, handbags,
The finest aquatic bird- sculptures and other artifacts
watching site in the vicinity of with a funky contemporary feel.
Cape Town, Rondevlei is Black statue of Jesus in a church Just outside Khayelitsha stands
serviced by a short walking trail at Khayelitsha the grim Lwandle Migrant
and six hides, from where Labour Museum: a former
species includ ing great crested q Khayelitsha single-sex hostel where migrant
grebe, purple swamp-hen, great labourers at a nearby canning
white pelican, greater flamingo, Road Map B5. * 400,000. factory were crammed six-in-a-
African spoonbill and a room into a concrete block with
profusion of water-fowl and Created in 1983, Khayelitsha – rudimentary bathroom facilities.
waders can be observed. Look an isiXhosa name meaning “new
out, too, for the hippos that home” – was one of the apart- J Lookout Hill
were intro duced in 1982 to help heid regime’s final bids to Cnr Mew Way & Spine Rd. Tel 021 361
to prevent the wetland from enforce the Group Areas Act. 7098. Open 8am–4:30pm Mon–Fri.

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