| Klapmuts | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Western Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -33.8056°N 18.8697°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Western Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cape Winelands |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Stellenbosch |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 1.76 |
| Population Total: | 7703 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 33.5% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 64.2% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.3% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 1.0% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 1.0% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 72.2% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 21.6% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 2.4% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | English |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.9% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 1.9% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 7625 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
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 is a little town just off the R45 road between Kraaifontein and Paarl,[3] It is well known for its surrounding wine farms.
In 1683 the Dutch East India Company and established a cattle stock-farm at Klapmuts. Finding Khoisan to trade with proved a difficult task so the VOC employed a chieftain named Klaas (Rank Capt) to find Khoisan and negotiate trade deals on behalf of the Company. In 1684 trading posts were established at Kuilen, Diep River, Vissers Hok, Riet Vlei, Hottentots Holland, Tygerberg and Klapmuts. [4]
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]