Rooiels, South Africa

Rooiels
Rooiels
Rooiels
Rooiels
Coordinates: 34°18′05″S 18°48′59″E / 34.30139°S 18.81639°E / -34.30139; 18.81639
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceWestern Cape
DistrictOverberg
MunicipalityOverstrand
Area
  Total
1.15 km2 (0.44 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
  Total
125
  Density110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
  Black African1.6%
  White92.0%
  Other6.4%
First languages (2011)
  English48.8%
  Afrikaans47.2%
  Other4.0%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)

Rooiels (also spelled Rooi-Els or Rooi Els) is a settlement in Overberg District Municipality in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It was declared a township in June 1948, and is situated 5 km north of Pringle Bay, on the eastern shore of False Bay. It was named after the farm and river of the same name, which were named after the red alder tree known as rooiels in Afrikaans.

It is situated beside the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and is itself a registered conservancy. The town roads are narrow, un-tarred and without street lights. Klein-Hangklip mountain dominates the village, and is home to a pair of Verreaux's eagles. Other animals that may be noted are chacma baboons, rock hyrax, small antelope, African clawless otters and occasionally caracal and leopard.