| Caledon | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa#Africa |
| Coordinates: | -34.23°N 19.4283°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Overberg |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Theewaterskloof |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | First settled |
| Established Date: | 1797 |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Leader Name: | Yvonne van Tonder (DA) [1] |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 18.06 |
| Population Total: | 13020 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 13.7% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 69.6% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.2% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 15.6% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.8% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 85.3% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 7.1% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | English |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 2.9% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 2.4% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.3% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 7230 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 7230 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 028 |
| Established Title1: | Established |
| Established Date1: | 1811[3] |
| Named For: | 2nd Earl of Caledon |
Caledon, originally named Swartberg, is a town in the Overberg region in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located about east of Cape Town next to mineral-rich hot springs. it had a population of 13,020. It is located in, and the seat of, the Theewaterskloof Local Municipality.
The town continues to be inhabited by Khoikhoi communities who, before the arrival of colonizing forces, were the wealthiest on this land.[4]
Caledon is situated on the N2 national route, by road from central Cape Town. At Caledon the N2 is met by the R316 from Arniston and Bredasdorp, and the R320 from Hermanus. It is also located on the Overberg branch railway line, by rail from Cape Town station.
The Caledon district is primarily an agricultural region. Most agricultural activities involve grain production with a certain amount of stock farming. The town is locally well known for the Caledon Spa and Casino and for its rolling hills and yellow canola fields in spring.
The town has a Mediterranean climate of warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Temperatures are modified by its close proximity to the South Atlantic Ocean, just over the Klein River Mountains to the south.
The place was originally known in Dutch as Bad agter de Berg (Bath Behind the Mountain). A bath house was built in 1797 and a village called Swartberg sprang up, which was later renamed Caledon in honor of the Irish peer Du Pre Alexander, 2nd Earl of Caledon (1777–1839), the first British governor of the Cape (1806–11).
The writer Peter Dreyer was born in Caledon at the Caledon Baths Hotel in 1939.
Rhodesian government minister P. K. van der Byl retired to Caledon and subsequently died there, in Fairfield. His father, anti-Apartheid politician P. V. van der Byl, was born in Caledon in 1889.