Muizenberg Information

Introducing Muizenberg

The beach-side suburb of Muizenberg is located in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Western Cape Province.  Muizenberg is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay coast.

Historically, the village of Muizenberg in South Africa has several special features, including the Het Posthuys / the Post House, Rhodes' Cottage and the site of the Battle of Muizenberg.  Rhodes' Cottage is a small house on the seafront which Cecil John Rhodes bought as a holiday cottage.  Cecil John Rhodes died here in 1902. The house is preserved as a museum dedicated to Rhodes' life and is open to the public.

Het Posthuys / the Post House is one of the oldest buildings in South Africa dating back to about 1742.  Het Posthuys / the Post House in Muizenberg was built by the Dutch East India Company as a toll-house to levy a tax on farmers passing by to sell their produce to ships lying in Simon's Bay. One of the early postholders was Sergeant Muys from whom Muizenberg gets its name.  The building contains a small collection of photos and items of interest relating to early days in Muizenberg.

The Battle of Muizenberg was a small but significant military action which began in June 1795 and ended three months later with the first British occupation of the Cape. Thus began the period of British control of the Cape, and subsequently much of Southern Africa. The historical remnant of the Battle of Muizenberg is a site on the hillside overlooking False Bay that holds the remains of a defensive fort started by the Dutch in 1795 and expanded by the British from 1796 onwards.

Muizenberg is home to a beautiful, sandy, long beach which stretches all the way round the top of False Bay to the Strand which is about 20 km away. False Bay, known for its population of White Sharks, also has a shark watch service that operates from Muizenberg, signalling alerts when sharks come in proximity of bathers and surfers. Above Muizenberg there is a line of steep cliffs that is very popular as a venue for rock climbing. However, certain parts of the cliff are off-limits to climbers when birds nest on the ledges.

The Zandvlei estuary enters the ocean in Muizenberg. The Zandvlei estuary is one of the most important estuaries for fish spawning on the coastline and is home to the Imperial Yacht Club and Peninsula Canoe Club.

Historical Weather Conditions

Cape Town, South Africa
Elevation: 42 meters      Latitude: 33 59S   Longitude: 018 36E 

 Average Temperature Years on Record: 21   
 YEAR  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  Jul.  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 
°C 17    21     21     20    17    15      13    12     13     14      16    18    20 
 

Average High Temperature Years on Record: 21   
   YEAR  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  Jul.  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 
°C 21      25    25      24     22    19      17    16    17    18      20     22    23 

  Average Low Temperature Years on Record: 21   
   YEAR  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  Jul.  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 
°C12       17    17      15    13     11       8      8       8       10    12     14    16

  Average Number of Days With Precipitation Years on Record: 19   
          YEAR  Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  Jul.  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 
Days 112        6      5       6       9     12     13    14    13       11        9     7      7

  Average Number of Days Above 70F/21C Years on Record: 21   
     YEAR     Jan.  Feb.  Mar.  Apr.  May  Jun.  Jul.  Aug.  Sep.  Oct.  Nov.  Dec. 
Days 189    29     27     27    19       9        5     4       4         6      12     20    27