Strand

Helderberg (Western Cape)

About

Strand

Strand (Afrikaans for 'beach') is a seaside resort town in the Western Cape, South Africa. It forms part of the Helderberg region of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, situated on the north-eastern edge of False Bay and near the foot of the Helderberg Mountains. Its geographical position is between Somerset West and Gordon's Bay, and is about 50 km southeast of Cape Town City Bowl. Strand is in the Western Cape province of South Africa, and has a population of approximately 50,000. Strand's main attraction is the beach; 5 km of white sandy beach off False Bay. Strand is often referred to as The Strand (Afrikaans: Die Strand), which is the old name of the town.

Strand was established as a holiday and fishing resort in 1714. Before being known as Strand, the settlement was known as Mostert's Bay. In 1970, during the notorious Apartheid era, all black, coloured and Asian people were forcefully removed when the town was classified as a white-only resort. Included in the communities forced to leave at this time were the descendants of Cape Malay slaves, who had escaped from Cape Town over 100 years earlier. They lost their homes, but their mosque still stands today.

Strand falls under the City of Cape Town municipality. It is in close proximity to the inland town of Somerset West. Recent expansion and development of both towns has resulted in the two now being adjacent to each other, with shopping malls and residential complexes creating the connections. The unofficial divide between the two towns is the national road which bisects them, the N2. Strand forms part of the Helderberg Basin, along with Somerset West and Gordon's Bay. Strand offers white-sanded beaches and views of the Cape Peninsula. During the summer, tourists from other parts of South Africa, including Johannesburg, and abroad, come to enjoy the seaside offerings. Tourism has been a major source of local income since 1950, when the town was popular with visitors from the north of the country, and was home to many retired veterans of the Boer War.

There is a train service from Strand to the CBD of Cape Town. The great coastal road that makes its way up the eastern seaboard of the Cape rises to the coastal ranges from near Strand. Strand also used to accommodate one of the largest dynamite factories in South Africa, owned by the AECI group. This area is being redeveloped into a large new mixed-use urban development, Paardevlei, and current tenants include Cheetah Outreach. The main beach in the Strand, Melkbaai Beach, is known as one of the best and safest bathing areas in the country.

Facilities on or nearby this beach include Waterworld with a super tube and mini-golf and Harmony Park which includes a tidal pool. Water sports may be conducted from various points along the beachfront. Strand has a wide variety of organised sport including a golf course, tennis courts, rugby fields, squash clubs, jukskei, and water sports like surfing, sailing, power boating, paddle skiing and board sailing. The Charles Morkel rugby stadium is home to the Helderberg Rugby Club The Pipe is a part of the beach marked off for surfers and is known for its big, "surfable" waves. Strand also has an Olympic-sized indoor pool which is centrally heated and is open all year round.

The coast between the Lourens River mouth and up to Rooi Els is popular with beach fishermen and rock anglers. Surfing is a popular water sport in Strand, despite the possibility of sharks. These spots are reportedly much easier and safer to surf than other offshore surf spots on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Cape Peninsula, owing to the protection that False Bay offers.