The drainage basin for the Umzimvubu River is located along the northern boundary of the Eastern Cape and includes ten local municipalities. Northern uplands and central areas are mostly covered with grasslands (~70% of the area), whereas transitions to savanna occur in the southeast. It represents a key biodiversity hotspot for its terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Being largely rural, livestock rearing and small-scale agricultural activities are key sectors. However, low levels of economic activity take place there, as small-scale/subsistence agriculture is not quantified in the formal economy. Livelihoods are supported by a complex combination of income and resources from social grants, intermittent employment and remittances, with high levels of poverty and unemployment.
Regarding climate-related threats, most communities lack access to safe and potable water, which is exacerbated by flooding or drought events, waterborne diseases and the increasing numbers of invasive alien plants. Biodiversity, ecosystem function and services are threatened due to unsustainable management, invasion of alien plants, and indigenous bush encroachment.
People are moving from low-density rural villages to the peri-urban settlements and small towns as well as to larger urban centres in the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape, so traditional and rural lifestyles are contrasted by growing peri-urban populations that require concentrated basic services.
Umzimvubu Catchment Hub, South Africa
Umzimvubu , South Africa
- Region: East Southern Africa
- Climate: Temperate without dry season cold summer (Cfb)
Umzimvubu Catchment Hub, South Africa
- Region: East Southern Africa
- Climate: Temperate without dry season cold summer (Cfb)