List of rivers of South Africa

This is a list of rivers of South Africa.

List

River Drainage basin[A] Province and location Source location
(city / mountains)
Tributary of (river) Dam in river Mouth / junction at location (town) Mouth / junction coordinates
Amanzimtoti River, (Manzimtoti River) (Toti River) U7 KwaZulu-Natal, Amanzimtoti northwest of Adams Mission Amanzimtoti, Indian Ocean 30°3′S 30°52′E / 30.050°S 30.867°E / -30.050; 30.867
Apies River A2 Gauteng, Tshwane, Pretoria South of Pretoria Tshwane River, then Pienaars River and Limpopo River Bon Accord Dam Makapanstad 25°14′24″S 28°08′36″E / 25.24000°S 28.14333°E / -25.24000; 28.14333 (Apies-Tshwane junction)
As River (or Ash River) C8 Free State Southeast of Bethlehem Liebenbergsvlei River, then Wilge River Sol Plaatjie Dam
Assegaai River W5 Mpumalanga North of Wakkerstroom Mkondo River Heyshope Dam Swaziland border 27°04′46″S 31°02′19″E / 27.07944°S 31.03861°E / -27.07944; 31.03861 (Assegaai-Mkondo junction)
Bamboesspruit (or Bamboes Spruit) C2 North West South of Ottosdal Vaal River Bloemhof Dam 27°40′15″S 25°37′40″E / 27.67083°S 25.62778°E / -27.67083; 25.62778 (Bamboesspruit mouth)
Baviaanskloof River L8 Western and Eastern Cape North of Plettenberg Bay Kouga River
Bell River D1 Eastern Cape Near Naudé's Neck Kraai River, then Orange River Near Moshesh's Ford 30°51′08″S 27°46′43″E / 30.85222°S 27.77861°E / -30.85222; 27.77861
Berg River (or Great Berg River) G1 Western Cape Franschhoek Drakenstein Berg River Dam Velddrif north of Vredenburg, Atlantic Ocean 32°46′13.00″S 18°8′39.66″E / 32.7702778°S 18.1443500°E / -32.7702778; 18.1443500
Berg River D3 Free State 22 km Southwest of Jagersfontein Orange River Vanderkloof Dam Vanderkloof Dam 29°59′43″S 24°46′48″E / 29.99528°S 24.78000°E / -29.99528; 24.78000 (Vanderkloof dam tributary)
Bhira River R5 Eastern Cape North of Eleqolweni between Port Alfred and East London, near Begha, Indian Ocean 33°23′00″S 27°19′33″E / 33.38333°S 27.32583°E / -33.38333; 27.32583 (Bhira River mouth)
Bivane River W5 KwaZulu-Natal Pongola River Bivane Dam
Black Kei River Eastern Cape Southwest of Queenstown Great Kei River
Blesbokspruit (or Blesbok Spruit) C2 Gauteng North of Daveyton Vaal River
Blood River (or Ncome River) V3 KwaZulu-Natal Knight's Pass, Utrecht Buffalo River
Bloukrans River V1 KwaZulu-Natal North of Giant's Castle in the Drakensberg foothills Tugela River none near Tugela Estates, Weenen area 28°45′30″S 30°08′55″E / 28.75833°S 30.14861°E / -28.75833; 30.14861 (Bloukrans-Tugela confluence)
Bloukrans River K Western and Eastern Cape border Near Peak Formosa n.a. Near Bloukrans Bridge 33°58′44″S 23°38′49″E / 33.97889°S 23.64694°E / -33.97889; 23.64694 (Blouwkrans River mouth)
Bloukrans River Eastern Cape Near Grahamstown Kowie River none Near Langholm, Grahamstown 33°24′38″S 26°39′05″E / 33.41056°S 26.65139°E / -33.41056; 26.65139 (Bloukrans-Kowie confluence)
Blyde River (or Motlatse River) B6 Mpumalanga West of Sabie Olifants River BlydeRivierpoort Dam Lissataba game farm, Mica area 24°15′13″S 30°49′50″E / 24.25361°S 30.83056°E / -24.25361; 30.83056 (Blyde-Olifants confluence)
Boesmans River Western Cape Northeast of Pearly Beach Uilkraal River Uilkraalsmond (south of Gans Bay), Atlantic Ocean 34°36′21″S 19°24′32″E / 34.60583°S 19.40889°E / -34.60583; 19.40889 (Uilkraal River mouth)
Boesmans River Eastern Cape North of Kirkwood (Eastern Cape) Kenton on Sea, Indian Ocean 33°41′32″S 26°39′50″E / 33.69222°S 26.66389°E / -33.69222; 26.66389 (Boesmans River mouth)
Boesmanspruit (or Boesman Spruit) Mpumalanga South of Secunda Waterval River then into the Vaal River
Bonte River Western Cape Alphen Dam
Bot River G Western Cape South of Teewaterskloof Dam Fortuin Reservoir Fischerhaven, Atlantic Ocean 34°22′05″S 19°05′53″E / 34.36806°S 19.09806°E / -34.36806; 19.09806 (Bot River mouth)
Braamfontein Spruit (or Braamfonteinspruit) Gauteng Greymont Roodepoort Jukskei River Emmarentia Dam
Brak River A7 Limpopo Sand River (Polokwane) Magkabeng Plateau 22°36′15″S 29°44′0″E / 22.60417°S 29.73333°E / -22.60417; 29.73333 (Brak River mouth)
Breede River (or Breë River) H Western Cape, Overberg near Ceres the Koekedou River and Dwars River become the Bree River West of Mossel bay, Indian Ocean 34°24′15″S 20°51′06″E / 34.40417°S 20.85167°E / -34.40417; 20.85167 (Breede River mouth)
Bronkhorst Spruit (or Bronkhorstspruit) B2 Gauteng Wilge River Bronkhorstspruit Dam
Buffeljags River Western Cape joining of the Tredou River and Grootvadersbos River Breede River Buffeljags Dam
Buffalo River (Eastern Cape) R2 Eastern Cape Northwest of King William's Town Laing Dam, Bridle Drift Dam East London harbour 33°01′45″S 27°54′57″E / 33.02917°S 27.91583°E / -33.02917; 27.91583 (Buffalo River mouth)
Buffalo River (KwaZulu-Natal) V3 KwaZulu-Natal northeast of Volksrust Tugela River
Buffels River F3 Northern Cape
Buffels River J1 Western Cape The Komsberg River and the Venters River, join together to become the Buffels River Floriskraal Dam at Buffelspoort, the Klein-Swartberg River joins the Buffels River to become the Groot River
Bushman River V KwaZulu-Natal at Giant's Castle Tugela River Wagendrift Dam
Caledon River D2 Free State border Lesotho and South Africa southwest of Witsieshoek Orange River Knellpoort Dam, Welbedacht Dam
Chalumna River (or Tyolomnqa River) R4 Eastern Cape
Crocodile River X3 Mpumalanga North of Dullstroom Komati River at Komatipoort Kwena Dam
Crocodile River A3 North West, Gauteng and Limpopo Roodepoort Limpopo River Hartbeespoort Dam Roodekoppies Dam
Diep River G Western Cape North of Malmesbury Table Bay Cape Town 33°53′27″S 18°22′55″E / 33.89083°S 18.38194°E / -33.89083; 18.38194 (Diep River mouth)
Diep River A7 Limpopo Southeast of Polokwane Sand River
Doring River Western Cape and Eastern Cape Northeast of Ceres Olifants River Doring River Dam
Duiwenhoks River Western Cape North of Heidelberg West of Mossel Bay, Indian Ocean 34°21′56″S 21°00′01″E / 34.36556°S 21.00028°E / -34.36556; 21.00028 (Duiwenhoks River mouth)
Elands River B2 Gauteng Near Rayton Olifants River Rust de Winter Dam, Rhenosterkop Dam Marble Hall 24°55′27″S 29°20′45″E / 24.92417°S 29.34583°E / -24.92417; 29.34583 (Elands-Olifants confluence)
Elands River A North West Province Near Koster Crocodile River (West) Vaalkop Dam 24°17′18″S 27°31′8″E / 24.28833°S 27.51889°E / -24.28833; 27.51889 (Elands-Crocodile confluence)
Elands River X3 Mpumalanga Northeast of Belfast Crocodile River (East)
Ga-Selati River Limpopo Wolkberg Olifants River South of Phalaborwa
Gamka River J Western Cape North of Beaufort West Gourits River Gamkapoort Dam South of Calitzdorp
Gamtoos River L9 Eastern Cape The Kouga River and Groot River become the Gamtoos River Northeast of Jeffreys Bay 33°58′12″S 25°02′03″E / 33.97000°S 25.03417°E / -33.97000; 25.03417 (Gamtoos River Mouth)
Gouritz River (or Gourits River) Western Cape The Gamka River and Olifants River become the Gourits River at Gouritsmond 34°20′47″S 21°53′08″E / 34.34639°S 21.88556°E / -34.34639; 21.88556 (Gourits River mouth)
Great Fish River (Groot-Vis River) Eastern Cape East of Graaff-Reinet North of Seafield, Indian Ocean 33°29′44″S 27°08′09″E / 33.49556°S 27.13583°E / -33.49556; 27.13583 (Great Fish River mouth)
Groenrivier (Green River) Northern Cape About 120 km NNW of Strandfontein by Green River Mouth Lighthouse
Great Kei River (Groot-Kei) Eastern Cape The Swart-Kei River and the White Kei River become the Great Kei River Kei Mouth, Indian Ocean 32°40′45″S 28°23′07″E / 32.67917°S 28.38528°E / -32.67917; 28.38528 (Groot-Kei Mouth)
Great Letaba River B8 Limpopo The Great Letaba River and Little Letaba River become the Letaba River Letaba River Ebenezer Dam
Great Usutu River (or Maputo River) W5 KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and Mozambique Northwest of Amsterdam South of Maputo, Mozambique 26°10′22″S 32°41′45″E / 26.17278°S 32.69583°E / -26.17278; 32.69583 (Maputo River mouth)
Groot Brak River K Western Cape Wolwedans Dam Groot Brak River Mouth, Indian Ocean
Groot Brak River Eastern Cape
Groot Marico River (or Great Marico River) North West
Groot River Eastern Cape where the Kariega River and Sout River join Gamtoos River Beervlei Dam
Groot River partly the border between Eastern Cape and Western Cape The Buffels River becomes the Groot River from where the Klein-Swartberg River joins the Buffels Gouritz River Beervlei Dam
Groot River Western Cape Doring River
Groot Vet River Free State
Groot Vlei River Eastern Cape
Hantams River Northern Cape
Hartbees River Northern Cape
Hartenbos River Western Cape
Harts River North West
Hennops River Gauteng East of Tembisa Crocodile River
Hex River H Western Cape
Hex River North West Bospoort Dam
Hluhluwe River W KwaZulu-Natal Hluhluwe Game Reserve Hluhluwe River Hluhluwe Dam lake St Lucia
Hoeksrivier Western Cape
Hol River Eastern Cape
Hout River A7 Limpopo Sand River (Polokwane) Hout River Dam 23°4′2″S 29°34′45″E / 23.06722°S 29.57917°E / -23.06722; 29.57917 (Hout River mouth)
Illovo River KwaZulu-Natal
Incomati River Mpumalanga
Indwe River Eastern Cape
Intombe River KwaZulu-Natal
Jakkals River Western Cape
Jordaan River Free State
Jordaanspruit Free State Bloemhoek Dam
Jukskei River Gauteng Crocodile River/Limpopo River Hartbeespoort Dam
Kaaimans River Western Cape
Kabeljous River Eastern Cape Jeffreys Bay 34°00′19″S 24°56′08″E / 34.00528°S 24.93556°E / -34.00528; 24.93556 (Kabeljous River mouth)
Kaalspruit Free State
Kaba River KwaZulu-Natal
Kamma River Western Cape
Kammanassie River Eastern Cape
Kandandlovu River KwaZulu-Natal
Karatara River Eastern Cape
Karoospruit Free State
Kat River Eastern Cape, Seymour, Fort Beaufort Amatola Mountains Katrivier Dam Great Fish River south of Fort Beaufort 32°59′44″S 26°47′05″E / 32.99556°S 26.78472°E / -32.99556; 26.78472
Kat Spruit Mpumalanga
Kariega River Eastern Cape Settlers Dam Kenton-On-Sea
Keisers River Western Cape
Keiskamma River R1 Eastern Cape Amatola Mountains Northeast of Port Alfred, Indian Ocean 33°17′S 27°29′E / 33.283°S 27.483°E / -33.283; 27.483
Keurbooms River Western Cape, Plettenberg Bay Northeast of Plettenberg Bay, Indian Ocean
Kingna River Western Cape
Klaas Smits River Eastern Cape South of Molteno Swart-Kei River
Klaserie River Mpumalanga
Klasies River Eastern Cape, Tsitsikamma coast Klasies River Caves
Little Letaba River B8 Limpopo The Great Letaba River and Little Letaba River become the Letaba River Letaba River
Klein Marico River North West
Klein Olifants River Mpumalanga
Klein River Western Cape Hermanus, Indian Ocean 34°25′17″S 19°18′03″E / 34.42139°S 19.30083°E / -34.42139; 19.30083 (Klein River mouth)
Klip River Western Cape
Klip River KwaZulu-Natal
Klip River Eastern Cape
Knysna River Western Cape
Kobongaba River Eastern Cape
Komani River Eastern Cape North of Queenstown Klaas Smits River Bongolo Dam
Komati River (or Incomati, Nkomati) X1 Mpumalanga, Komati Gorge
Koshwana River KwaZulu-Natal
Kouga River L8 Eastern Cape
Kowie River Eastern Cape Grahamstown Port Alfred
Kraai River D1 Eastern Cape Confluence of Bell River, Sterkspruit and Joggem River at Moshesh's Ford, Eastern Cape Drakensberg Orange River Aliwal North 30°40′S 26°45′E / 30.667°S 26.750°E / -30.667; 26.750
Kromdraai Spruit Mpumalanga
Krom River Eastern Cape
Krom River Western Cape, Stellenbosch
Kuils River Western Cape
Kwenxura River Eastern Cape
Laai Spruit Free State
Langvlei River Western Cape
Latonyanda River Limpopo
Liesbeek River (also spelt Liesbeeck) Western Cape
Leeu River Free State Armenia Dam
Levubu River (or Luvuvhu, Pafuri River) A9 Limpopo Albasini Dam
Lephalala River (see Palala River) A5 Limpopo Vischgat Dam, Susandale Dam
Letaba River B8 Limpopo The Great Letaba River and Little Letaba River become the Letaba River Olifants River
Liebenbergsvlei River C8 Free State
Liesbeeck River Western Cape
Letsitele River Limpopo
Liesbeek River Western Cape, Cape Town
Limpopo River A Limpopo, on Zimbabwe, Botswana borders The Marico River and the Crocodile River become the Limpopo River Xai-Xai, Mozambique into Indian Ocean
Little Brak River (or Klein Brak) Eastern Cape Klein Brakrivier, Indian Ocean 34°05′31″S 22°08′55″E / 34.09194°S 22.14861°E / -34.09194; 22.14861 (Little Brak River mouth)
Lourens River Western Cape
Lovu River(Illovu) U7 KwaZulu-Natal West of Richmond Beaulieu Estate Dam Lovu Langoon at Illovu Beach, Indian Ocean 30°6′S 30°51′E / 30.100°S 30.850°E / -30.100; 30.850
Lower Brandvlei River Western Cape Brandvlei Dam
Lunsklip River Mpumalanga
Lyndoch River Eastern Cape
Maputo River (or Great Usutu) KwaZulu-Natal
Marico River A2 North West Groot-Marico River Limpopo River
Matlabas River Limpopo
Mbhashe River Eastern Cape, Transkei region East of Elliot South of The Haven, Eastern Cape 32°14′56″S 28°54′00″E / 32.24889°S 28.90000°E / -32.24889; 28.90000 (Mbhashe River mouth)
Mbango River KwaZulu-Natal
Mbizana River KwaZulu-Natal
Mbodi River Limpopo
Mbokodweni River KwaZulu-Natal
Mdesingane River KwaZulu-Natal
Mdlotane River KwaZulu-Natal
Mdloti River KwaZulu-Natal
Mdumbe River Eastern Cape
Mgobezeleni River KwaZulu-Natal
Mgwalana River Eastern Cape
Mhlabatshane River KwaZulu-Natal
Middle Letaba River B8 Limpopo
Mlalazi River KwaZulu-Natal
Mhlali River KwaZulu-Natal
Mhlatuze River W KwaZulu-Natal
Mkomazi River Kwazulu-Natal
Mkuze River W KwaZulu-Natal
Mlazi River KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
Mngeni River (or Mgeni, Umgeni) U KwaZulu-Natal north of Durban, Indian Ocean
Modder River Northern Cape and Free State Riet River
Mogalakwena River A6 Limpopo Limpopo River
Mokolo River (or Mogol River) A4 Limpopo The Sand River and Grootspruit River become the Mokolo River Limpopo Mokolo Dam
Molopo River D4 North West border Botswana Disaneng Dam
Mooi River V KwaZulu-Natal Tugela River
Mooi River North West Vaal River Boskop Dam
Mooi River T Eastern Cape
Mpenjati River KwaZulu-Natal Near Hamburg Palm Beach 30°55′59″S 30°16′00″E / 30.93306°S 30.26667°E / -30.93306; 30.26667
Msunduzi River (or Duzi River) KwaZulu-Natal
Mtata River Eastern Cape
Mtamvuna River KwaZulu-Natal - Eastern Cape border
Mtontwanes River KwaZulu-Natal
Mugwenya River KwaZulu-Natal
Mximkulwana River KwaZulu-Natal
Mzamba River Eastern Cape, Transkei region
Mzimkulu River (or Umzimkulu) KwaZulu-Natal
Mzimkulwana river KwaZulu-Natal, Oribi Gorge
Mzimvubu River Eastern Cape, Transkei region
Mzumbe River KwaZulu-Natal
Nahoon River R3 Eastern Cape, East London
Ngagane River KwaZulu-Natal
Ngotwane River North West
Ngwavuma KwaZulu-Natal
Nossob River D4 Northern Cape, Kalahari
Nqabara River Eastern Cape
Nsama River Limpopo
Nsuze River V4 KwaZulu-Natal Tugela River
Nswamanzi River KwaZulu-Natal
Nuwejaarspruit Free State
Nyalazi River KwaZulu-Natal
Nyl River Limpopo
Nyoni River KwaZulu-Natal
Nzhelele River A8 Limpopo
Nwanedi River Limpopo
Ohlanga River (or Umhlanga) KwaZulu-Natal
Ohrigstad River Mpumalanga
Olifants River B Mpumalanga Limpopo Flag Boshielo Dam
Olifants River Western Cape Oudtshoorn
Olifants River Western Cape Clanwilliam Dam
Ongers River Northern Cape
Oompies River Eastern Cape
Orange River (also Groot, Gariep River) Northern Cape and Free State Boegoeberg Dam
Os Spruit Gauteng
Palala River (or Lephalala) A5 Limpopo
Palmiet River Western Cape Eikenhof Dam
Pienaars River A2 Gauteng and Northwest northwest of Bronkhorstspruit Crocodile River Roodeplaat Dam, Klipvoor Dam
Pienaars River Eastern Cape
Plankenbrug River Western Cape
Poesjenels River Western Cape
Pongola River (or Phongolo) W5 KwaZulu-Natal
Riet River Free State Vaal River
Riet River (Eastern Cape) Eastern Cape
Rietspruit Free State
Riviersonderend (or Sonderend River) Western Cape, Overberg
Rondegat River Western Cape
Rooiels River Western Cape
Rufanes River Eastern Cape
Sabie River Mpumalanga X3 Incomati River, Mozambique
Sak River Northern Cape
Salt River Western Cape Cape Town
Sand River A Limpopo Province Limpopo River
Sand River Free State Vet River Allemanskraal Dam
Sandspruit Free State
Sandlundlu River KwaZulu-Natal
Sandpoort River Eastern Cape
Selons River B2 Mpumalanga Highveld east of Middelburg Olifants River Near Loskop Dam 25°22′15″S 29°23′42″E / 25.37083°S 29.39500°E / -25.37083; 29.39500 (Selons-Olifants confluence)
Smalblaar River Western Cape
Sout River Western Cape, Cape Town
Spoeg River Northern Cape About 18 km SSE of Hondeklip Bay
Steelpoort River Mpumalanga
Steenbras River Western Cape
Sterkstroom River North West Buffelspoort Dam
Storms River Eastern Cape
Suikerbosrant River C2 Gauteng Vereeniging
Sundays River V1 KwaZulu-Natal Tugela River
Sundays River M1 Eastern Cape Darlington Dam
Swart River Western Cape North of Caledon Bot River
Swartkops River Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth
Tamboti River Limpopo
Tarka River Eastern Cape
Timbavati River Mpumalanga
Tongati River KwaZulu-Natal
Touws River Western Cape Groot River
Treur River B6 Limpopo
Troe-Troe River Northern Cape
Tsitsikamma River Eastern Cape
Tsomo River Eastern Cape
Tugela River V KwaZulu-Natal
Tyume River Eastern Cape Binfield Park Dam
Uilkraal River Western Cape Gans Bay, Atlantic Ocean 34°36′22″S 19°24′33″E / 34.60611°S 19.40917°E / -34.60611; 19.40917 (Uilkraal River mouth)
Umbilo River KwaZulu-Natal
Umfolozi River (Zulu: Mfolozi) W KwaZulu-Natal Maphelana, Indian Ocean 28°23′52″S 32°25′27″E / 28.39778°S 32.42417°E / -28.39778; 32.42417 (Umfolozi River mouth)
Black Umfolozi River (Zulu: Mfolozi emnyama) KwaZulu-Natal
White Umfolozi River (Zulu: Mfolozi emhlophe) KwaZulu-Natal
Wilge River (Mpumalanga) B2 Mpumalanga Olifants River
Wilge River (Free State) C8 Free State Vaal Dam
Umgeni River(uMngeni) U2 KwaZulu-Natal East of Howick Midmar Dam, Albert Falls Dam, Inanda Dam, Nagle Dam near Durban, Indian Ocean 29°48′S 31°2′E / 29.800°S 31.033°E / -29.800; 31.033
Umvoti River (or Mvoti River) U KwaZulu-Natal
Umzimkulu River (Zulu: Mzimkulu) KwaZulu-Natal
Usutu River Mpumalanga
Uvuzana River KwaZulu-Natal
Vaal River C Free State and other North of Ermelo, Mpumalanga Bloemhof Dam, Vaal Dam, Douglas Weir
Vals River Free State Vaal River
Van Stadens River Eastern Cape
Verlorevlei River Western Cape Elands Bay Atlantic Ocean 32°18′54″S 18°20′15″E / 32.31500°S 18.33750°E / -32.31500; 18.33750 (Verlorevlei mouth)
Vet River Free State Vaal River
Vier-en-twintig-riviere (English: 24 Rivers) Western Cape
Waterval River Mpumalanga
White Kei River Eastern Cape North of Queenstown Great Kei River
Wilge River C8 Free State
Wilge River Mpumalanga
Wit River Eastern Cape
Wit River Limpopo
Woes-Alleen River Mpumalanga Boschmanskop No 1 Dam
Xora River Eastern Cape
Xuka River Eastern Cape
Zandvlei Western Cape
Zimbani River Eastern Cape
Zinkwasi River KwaZulu-Natal
Zotsha River KwaZulu-Natal

Gallery

References