Worcester, Western Cape
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Worcester, in the Western Cape South Africa, with a population of 76,894, is the largest town in the Breede River Valley. Located 120km north-east of Cape Town on the N1 highway north to Johannesburg, it is the administrative capital of the Breede Valley Local Municipality and the hub of the Western Cape interior's commercial and retail activity. Worcester was founded in 1820 after the amalgamation of two farms, Roodewal and Langerug and named after the Marquis of Worcester; he was Lord Charles Somerset's brother.
[edit] Location
Worcester is located at an elevation of 220m and lies between the Breede River and the Hex River Mountains to the north. The surrounding valley is also the largest wine producing region in South Africa, contributing almost 20% of the country's viticultural output. Template:John Platter Wine Guide 2006
[edit] Climate
Worcester experiences more extremes of temperature than neighbouring Cape Town, as oceanic influences are blocked by the Du Toitskloof and Slanghoek Mountain Ranges to the west. The daytime maximum in summer averages in the low 30ºC's, however, some days in February can reach an excess of 40ºC. Summer is generally dry with the rare late summer thunderstorm, whilst spring and autumn are shoulder seasons of pleasant temperatures ranging from an average 10ºC minimum to 25ºC maximum, with the occasional rain shower. [citation needed]
Winters are generally very windy and often cool to cold with snow being common on the higher lying ground above 1000m. Daytime maximum's range from 10ºC-17ºC, with minimums hovering at or just above freezing. Winter brings most of Worcester's 175mm of annual rainfall. The town lies in a curious rain-shadow phenomenon caused by the surrounding high mountains. Most of the Breede River Valley receives relatively abundant rainfall (from 500mm to over 1000mm per annum), but the town of Worcester itself remains dry. [citation needed]
[edit] Economy
Worcester's economy primarily functions to serve its agricultural community. Furthermore, it is also a transportation hub and administrative centre. The KWV Brandy Distillery, the largest of its kind in the world, is in Worcester. The town's economy has been relatively stagnant until very recently.
New developments around the Worcester Dam (Lake) have since sprung up, namely the new Mountain Mills Shopping Centre, a new casino and a number of new car dealerships and office developments. With new investment and economic diversification, Worcester should become less dependent on the economics governing the wine industry.
[edit] Demographics
Worcester has two locally well-known schools, the De La Bat School for the deaf and the Pioneer School for the blind. Therefore there is a relatively large disabled population with a few niche industries that support them [citation needed]. Most Worcesterites are primarily Afrikaans-speaking, with Xhosa and English speaking minorities, however English is the lingua franca.
Most of the wealthier suburbs are located to the north, including Fairway Heights, Panorama and Langerug. The south of the town remains lower-middle class to impoverished, with most Xhosa and Coloured population groups still residing here (much of this is due to the legacy of Apartheid) in the suburbs of Zwelinthemba, Johnsons Park and Eselen Park.
[edit] Famous Residents
- The author J. M. Coetzee lived in Worcester as a child, and describes growing up there in his book 'Boyhood'.
[edit] External links
- Worcester Standard Local Newspaper: mostly Afrikaans
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