Eden District Municipality

The Eden District Municipality (EDM) is the third-largest district within the Western Cape Province and is made up of seven local municipalities, namely George, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Hessequa, Knysna, Bitou and Kannaland, as well as the District Management Area which consists of the towns Haarlem and Uniondale.

The EDM’s total surface area is 23 332 square kilometres and comprises two contrasting environments, namely the temperate Garden Route along the Indian Ocean coastline and the semi-arid Klein Karoo region, situated over the Outeniqua Mountains in the hinterland. The diversity of natural beauty makes it one of South Africa’s preferred holiday destinations.

The Garden Route stretches 250km along a relatively narrow corridor on the south-eastern coast of the Western Cape and enjoys a Mediterranean maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. It is one of the richest rainfall areas in the country, averaging between 350mm and 850mm per annum.

The region is home to a variety of unique Cape Floral Kingdom called fynbos (‘fine bush’), together with thousands of hectares of protected indigenous forest.

The Klein Karoo is 250km in length and 60km wide and is bordered by the Swartberg Mountains to the north and Outeniqua and Langeberg Mountains to the south. It falls within a low rainfall area with between 250mm and 350mm per annum, however vegetation can range from a lush green in the fertile river valleys, to short, hardy Karoo plants. The region has arguably the most sunshine days in South Africa, with even its winters being sunny and dry.