ing ▁in ▁winter ▁in ▁the ▁high ▁mountain ous ▁regions : ▁the ▁D rak ens berg ▁mountains ▁that ▁form ▁the ▁eastern ▁esc arp ment ▁along ▁the ▁K wa Z ulu - N atal / Les oth o ▁border , ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁H ex ▁River ▁Mountains ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁F old ▁B elt , ▁but ▁the ▁col dest ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁is ▁S uther land ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁Rog ge vel d ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁Upper ▁Kar oo , ▁with ▁minimum ▁mid w inter ▁temper atures ▁as ▁low ▁as ▁− 1 5   ° C . ▁The ▁deep ▁interior ▁provides ▁the ▁h ott est ▁temper atures : ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁the ▁mer cur y ▁hit ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁Cape ▁Kal ah ari ▁near ▁Up ington . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁issues ▁South ▁Africa ▁has ▁lost ▁a ▁large ▁area ▁of ▁natural ▁habitat ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁four ▁dec ades , ▁primarily ▁due ▁to ▁over pop ulation , ▁spraw ling ▁development ▁patterns ▁and ▁def or est ation ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁South ▁Africa ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁worst ▁affected ▁countries ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁when ▁it ▁comes ▁to ▁invasion ▁by ▁al ien ▁species ▁with ▁many ▁( e . g . ▁black ▁w attle , ▁Port ▁Jackson ▁will ow , ▁H ake a , ▁L ant ana ▁and ▁Jac ar anda ) ▁pos ing ▁a ▁significant ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁native ▁b iod iversity ▁and ▁the ▁already ▁scar ce ▁water ▁resources . ▁The ▁original ▁temper ate ▁forest ▁found ▁by ▁the ▁first ▁European