▁in ▁the ▁east , ▁( the ▁High vel d , ▁K wa Z ulu - N atal , ▁and ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Mid lands ), ▁and ▁falls ▁primarily ▁in ▁summer . ▁The ▁narrow ▁southern ▁coast al ▁strip ▁receives ▁all - year ▁ra inf all ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁( the ▁Garden ▁Route ), ▁and ▁winter ▁ra inf all ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁( on ▁the ▁Cape ▁Pen ins ula ▁and ▁its ▁surr ounds ). ▁The ▁sum mers ▁are ▁warm ▁to ▁hot , ▁while ▁the ▁winter ▁temper atures ▁can ▁vary , ▁depending ▁on ▁local ity ▁from ▁bitter ly ▁cold ▁to ▁cool . ▁Thus ▁the ▁Kar oo , ▁which ▁occup ies ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁western ▁Central ▁Pl ate au , ▁has ▁a ▁climate ▁which ▁is ▁extremely ▁hot ▁in ▁summer ▁and ▁bitter ly ▁cold ▁in ▁winter . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁eastern ▁coast line ▁on ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁is ▁l ush , ▁well ▁water ed ▁and ▁war med ▁by ▁the ▁Moz amb ique ▁Current ; ▁patch es ▁of ▁Southern ▁Africa ▁mang ro ves ▁grow ▁along ▁this ▁coast . ▁ ▁The ▁southern ▁coast , ▁part ▁of ▁which ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Garden ▁Route , ▁is ▁temper ate ▁and ▁green . ▁The ▁Cape ▁Pen ins ula ▁and ▁surr ounds ▁have ▁a ▁Mediter rane an ▁climate , ▁with ▁cool , ▁wet ▁winter s ▁and ▁warm , ▁dry ▁sum mers ▁( be coming ▁hot ter ▁in ▁interior ▁valle ys ). ▁Snow ▁commonly ▁falls ▁in ▁winter ▁on ▁the ▁higher ▁ground ▁of ▁the ▁Cape ▁F old ▁Mountains , ▁during ▁winter . ▁The ▁Cape