Evaluating branched tetraether lipid-based palaeotemperature proxies in an urban, hyper-eutrophic polluted lake in South Africa

► Evaluated lake-based and soil-based calibrations in a hyper-eutrophic polluted lake. ► Compared the proxy MAT with regional and local instrumental temperature records. ► Lake-based MBT/CBT calibration produced reasonable result. ► CBT-derived soil pH reflected socioeconomic changes in the catchment. ► Polluted/hyper-eutrophic status did not preclude application of the proxy.