List of estuaries of South Africa - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

List of Estuaries in South Africa (River Mouths), This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
List is in order from East (border with Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

) to the West (border with Namibia

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

).

The South African coastline stretches for some 3000 km from Kosi Bay near the Mozambique border in the east to the Gariep (Orange) River at the Namibian border in the west. Some 300 river outlets intersect this coastline and these range from small water bodies that are only occasionally connected to the ocean, to large, permanently open systems, and coastal lakes connected to the sea via a narrow channel (Heydorn, 1991). Being places where rivers meet the sea, estuaries are one of the most important features of the South African coastline; they are tranquil areas of high productivity and play a vital role in the life cycles of many plants and animals.
Apart from their ecological importance, estuaries are also popular sites for human activity and development. Recreational uses of estuaries include bait collection, bird watching, boating, fishing and swimming. Because of their great aesthetic value, areas around estuaries are often favoured for housing and tourist developments.

List of Estuaries in South Africa

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
{|class="wikitable sortable" border="2" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
!Name
!Drainage area in Km²
!Province and location
!River Name
!Coördinates
!Summary / Remarks
|-
| Kosi Bay Estuary||304||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, border Mozambique

Mozambique

|| ||26°54′S 32°52′E||Kosi Bay

Kosi Bay

Kosi Bay is a series of four interlinked lakes in the Maputuland area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.The lakes form part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site....

(26° 54’ S; 32° 53’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

, and is situated on the east (KwaZulu-Natal) coast near the Mozambique

Mozambique

border. This system has a catchment area of approximately 304 km².
|-
| St Lucia Estuary||9 542||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Richards Bay|| ||28°23′S 32°25′E||The St Lucia estuary (28° 23’ S; 32° 25’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal town of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. It is the largest estuarine system in the country and has a catchment area of approximately 9 542 km².
|-
| Mfolozi/Msunduzi Estuary||11 068 ||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Richards Bay||Mfolozi River, and Msunduzi River

Msunduzi River

The Msunduzi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is also known by its anglicised name, the Dusi River. The original name, Msunduzi, is isiZulu.The Msunduzi is a tributary of the Mngeni River.-In Pietermaritzburg:...

||28°24′S 32°25′E||The Mfolozi/Msunduzi estuary (28° 24’ S; 32° 25’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located north of the coastal town of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. This system has a catchment area of approximately 11 068 km².
|-
| Richards Bay/Mhlathuze Estuary||3 670||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Richards Bay||Mhlathuze River||28°51′S 32°03′E||The Richards Bay/Mhlathuze system (28° 51’ S; 32° 03’E) is situated at the coastal town of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. Prior to the construction of a deep-water harbour in the 1970s, the system comprised a large shallow, expanse of water, fed primarily by the Mhlathuze River, with a catchment area of approximately 3670 km². The system today consists two separate components, a harbour (Richards Bay) and a sanctuary area (Mhlathuze estuary) into which the Mhlathuze River flows. The harbour and sanctuary are separated by a 4 km long causeway or berm and each has its own separate opening to the sea. Both drain into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

.
|-
| Mlalazi Estuary||492||KwazUlu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Richards Bay||Mlalazi River||28°57′S 31°49′E||The Mlalazi estuary (28° 57’ S; 31° 49’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located just south of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 54 km long with a catchment area of 492 km².
|-
| Matigulu/Nyoni Estuary||900|| KwazUlu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Richards Bay||Matigulu River and Nyoni River||29°05′S 31°38′E||The Matigulu/Nyoni system (29° 05’ S; 31° 38’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. This system drains a catchment area of over 900 km².
|-
| Thukela (tugela) Estuary||29 101||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, between Richards Bay and Durban

Durban

Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...

||Tugela River

Tugela River

The Tugela River is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls...

||29°13′S 31°30′E||The Thukela system (29° 13’ S; 31° 30’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated in KwaZulu-Natal, approximately midway between Richards Bay and the coastal city of Durban

Durban

. The Thukela is the largest river system in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 405 km long with a catchment area of 29 101 km².
|-
| Mvoti Estuary||2 829||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, north of Durban

Durban

||Mvoti River||29°24′S 31°20′E||The Mvoti estuary (29° 24’ S; 31° 20’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal city of Durban

Durban

in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 197 km long with a catchment area of 2 829 km².
|-
| Mgeni Estuary||4 432||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Durban

Durban

||Mgeni River||29°48′S 31°02′E||The Mgeni estuary (29° 48’ S; 31° 02’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal city of Durban

Durban

in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 232 km long with a catchment area of 4 432 km².
|-
| Durban Bay||264||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Durban

Durban

|| ||29°52′S 31°04′E||Durban Bay (29° 52’ S; 31° 04’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located in the coastal city of Durban

Durban

in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. This important industrial harbour has a catchment area of approximately 264 km².
|-
| Mkomazi Estuary||4 310||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, south of Durban

Durban

||Mkomazi River||30°12′S 30°48′E||The Mkomazi estuary (30° 12’ S; 30° 48’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies south of the city of Durban

Durban

in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 298 km long with a catchment area of 4 310 km².
|-
| Mzimkulu Estuary||6 745||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Port Shepstone||Mzimkulu River||30°44′S 30°27′E||The Mzimkulu estuary (30° 44’ S; 30° 27’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal town of Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

. The river is approximately 329 km long with a catchment area
of 6 745 km².
|-
| Mtavuna Estuary||1 553||KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, south of Port Edward

Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal

Port Edward is a small resort town situated on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, right on the Eastern Cape Province border.Port Edward is a tourist resort for seasonal visitors from more affluent regions of South Africa...

||Mtamvuna River

Mtamvuna River

Mtamvuna River is a river that forms the border between KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape Provinces in South Africa. The river has a wide mouth and flows into the Indian Ocean just south of Port Edward. The Mtamvuna river is approximately 162 km long with a catchment area of 1,553 km². The name...

||31°04′S 30°12′E||The Mtamvuna estuary (31° 04’ S; 30° 12’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated just south of the coastal town of Port Edward

Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal

at the KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...

provincial border. The river is approximately 162 km long with a catchment area of 1 553 km².
|-
| Mzamba Estuary||505||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port Edward

Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal

||Mzamba River||31°06′S 30°10′E||The Mzamba estuary (31° 06’ S; 30° 10’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated on the former Transkei

Transkei

The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, just south of Port Edward

Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal

near the KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

provincial border. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 505 km².
|-
| Mtentu Estuary||965||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of Port St Johns||Mtentu River||31°15′S 30°03′E||The Mtentu estuary (31° 15’ S; 30° 03’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 965 km².
|-
| Msikaba Estuary||1 011||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of Port St Johns||Msikaba River||31°18′S 29°58′E||The Msikaba system (31° 18’ S; 29° 58’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies north of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 1 011 km².
|-
| Mzintlava Estuary||280||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of Port St Johns||Mzintlava River||31°32′S 29°41′E||The Mzintlava estuary (31° 32’ S; 29° 41’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 280 km².
|-
| Mntafufu Estuary||178||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of Port St Johns||Mntafufu River||31°34′S 29°38′E||The Mntafufu estuary (31° 34’ S; 29° 38’E) lies north of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 178 km².
|-
| Mzimvubu Estuary||19 853||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, Port St Johns||Mzimvubu River||31°38′S 29°33′E||The Mzimvubu estuary (31° 38’ S; 29° 33’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 19 853 km².
|-
| Mngazi Estuary||561||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mngazi River||31°41′S 29°27′E||The Mngazi estuary (31° 41’ S; 29° 27’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies just south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 561 km².
|-
| Mngazana Estuary||285||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mngazana River||31°42′S 29°25′E||The Mngazana estuary (31° 42’ S; 29° 25’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 285 km².
|-
| Mtakatye Estuary||493||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mtakatye River||31°51′S 29°16′E||The Mtakatye estuary (31° 51’ S; 29° 16’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 493 km².
|-
| Mdumbi Eastuary||2 338||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mdumbi River||31°56′S 29°13′E||The Mdumbi estuary (31° 56’ S; 29° 13’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 2 338 km².
|-
| Mtata Estuary||2 585||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mtata River||31°57′S 29°10′E||The Mtata estuary (31° 57’ S; 29° 10’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 2 585 km².
|-
| Xora Estuary||438||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Xora River||32°10′S 29°00′E||The Xora estuary (32° 10’ S; 29° 00’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 438 km².
|-
| Mbashe Estuary||6 030||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mbashe River||32°15′S 28°54′E||The Mbashe estuary (32° 15’ S; 28° 54’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 6 030 km².
|-
| Nqabara Estuary||578||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Mqabara River||32°20′S 28°47′E||The Nqabara estuary (32° 20’ S; 28° 47’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 578 km².
|-
| Shixini Estuary||332||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Shixini River||32°24′S 28°43′E||The Shixini system (32° 24’ S; 28° 43’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 332 km².
|-
| Qora Estuary||700||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Qora River||32°27′S 28°40′E||The Qora estuary (32° 27’ S; 28° 40’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 700 km².
|-
| Nggusi/Inxaxo Estuary||134||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Nggusi River and Inxaxo River||32°35′S 28°31′E||The Ngqusi/Inxaxo system (32° 35’ S; 28° 31’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated south of the coastal town of Port St Johns on the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. This system drains a total catchment area of approximately 134 km².
|-
| Kobonqaba Estuary||321||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns||Kobonqaba River||32°36′S 28°29′E||The Kobonqaba estuary (32° 36’ S; 28° 29’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated on the former Transkei coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, south of Port St Johns. This system drains a catchment area of approximately 321 km².
|-
| Great Kei Estuary||20 566||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of East London||Great Kei River

Great Kei River

The Great Kei River is a river in South Africa in the Eastern Cape province. Before it becomes the Great Kei, the Swart-Kei River and the Wit-Kei River join forces, northeast of Cathcart. It flows for 520 km and ends at the Indian Ocean with the small town Kei Mouth on the west bank...

||32°41′S 28°23′E||The Great Kei estuary (32° 41’ S; 28° 23’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal city of East London and forms the southern border of the former Transkei

Transkei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 520 km long with a catchment area of 20 566 km².
|-
| Kwelera Estuary||418||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

,north of East London||Kwelera River||32°55′S 28°05′E||The Kwelera estuary (32° 55’ S; 28° 05’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated north of the coastal city of East London in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 86 km long with a catchment area of 418 km².
|-
| Gqunube Estuary||665||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, north of East London||Gqunube River||32°56′S 28°02′E||The Gqunube estuary (32° 56’ S; 28° 02’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies just north of the coastal city of East London in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 109 km long with a catchment area of 665 km².
|-
| Nahoon Estuary||548||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, East London||Nahoon River

Nahoon River

The Nahoon River is situated in the city East London on the East Coast of South Africa. It is to the east of the Buffalo river harbour, and is to the west of Gonubie River. The suburb of Nahoon is on its west bank and Beacon Bay is on the east bank. The Nahoon Dam supplies some of the water for...

||32°59′S 27°57′E||The Nahoon estuary (32° 59’ S; 27° 57’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal city of East London in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 77 km long with a catchment area of 584 km².
|-
| Buffalo Estuary||1 279||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, East London||Buffalo River

Buffalo River (Eastern Cape)

The Buffalo River or Cwenqgcwe is situated in the city of East London on the East Coast of South Africa. It is to the west of the Nahoon River. It is the only navigable river in South Africa. The town of East London was thus established around it....

||33°02′S 27°55′E||The Buffalo estuary (33° 02’ S; 27° 55’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated at the coastal city of East London in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 133 km long with a catchment area of 1 279 km².
|-
| Tyolomnqa Estuary||441||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, southwest of East London||Tyolomnqa River||33°14′S 27°35′E||The Tyolomnqa estuary (33° 14’ S; 27° 35’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies southwest of the coastal city of East London and forms the northern border of the former Ciskei

Ciskei

Ciskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It covered an area of 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 78 km long with a catchment area of 441 km².
|-
| Keiskamma Estuary||2 745||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, between East London and Port Alfred

Port Alfred

Port Alfred is a small town with a population of just under 20,000 in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated on the eastern seaboard of the country at the mouth of the Kowie River, almost exactly half-way between the larger cities of Port Elizabeth and East London and 30 km...

||Keiskamma River||33°17′S 27°29′E||The Keiskamma estuary (33° 17’ S; 27° 29’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is found on the former Ciskei

Ciskei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

and is situated approximately midway between the City of East London in the north and the coastal town of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

in the south. The river is approximately 263 km long with a catchment area of 2 745 km².
|-
| Great Fish Estuary||30 366||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, near Port Alfred

Port Alfred

||Great Fish River

Great Fish River

The Great Fish River is a river running through the South African province of the Eastern Cape, it originates east of Graaff-Reinet and runs through Cradock, just south of this the Tarka River joins it...

||33°30′S 27°08′E||The Great Fish estuary (33° 30’ S; 27° 08’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated northeast of the coastal town of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

and forms the southern border of the former Ciskei

Ciskei

coast of the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 730 km long with a catchment area of 30 366 km².
|-
| Kowie Estuary||800||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, Port Alfred

Port Alfred

||Kowie River

Kowie River

Kowie River, has its source in the hills of the "Grahamstown Heights" from where it flows in a south-easterly direction draining the major part of the Bathurst region. Its major tributaries are the Bloukrans River, the Bak River and the Lushington River . The Little Kowei River is a smaller...

||33°36′S 26°54′E||The Kowie estuary (33° 36’ S; 26° 54’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located at the coastal town of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 94 km long with a catchment area of 800 km².
|-
| Kariega Estuary||685||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, Port Alfred

Port Alfred

||Kariega River

Kariega River

- Origins of the name Kariega :The original inhabitants of much of the Cape were the Khoikhoi. Their descendants are still very much with us, but other than in parts of the Northern Cape their languages are no longer spoken. Nonetheless there are still plenty of Khoikhoi words in everyday use in...

||33°41′S 26°44′E||The Kariega estuary (33° 41’ S; 26° 44’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated southwest of the coastal town of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 138 km long with a catchment area of
685 km².
|-
| Bushmans Estuary||2 675||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, southwest of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

||Bushmans River

Boesmans River

Boesmans River, originates north of Kirkwood, Eastern Cape, South Africa, and runs east past Alicedale, before it turns and twists south and east to Kenton on Sea, where it mouths into the Indian Ocean. at . Tributaries include: Bega River, iCamtarha, Ncazala River, Komga River, New Years River,...

||33°42′S 26°40′E||The Bushmans system (33° 42’ S; 26° 40’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated southwest of the coastal town of Port Alfred

Port Alfred

in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 293 km long with a catchment area of 2 675 km².
|-
| Sundays Estuary||20 990||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, northeast of Port Elizabeth||Sundays River

Sundays River

The Sundays River is a river in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is said to be the fastest flowing river in South Africa. The Khoisan people originally named this river Nukakamma because the river's banks are always green and grassy despite the arid terrain that it runs...

||33°43′S 25°51′E||The Sundays estuary (33° 43’ S; 25° 51’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located northeast of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 481 km long with a catchment area of 20 990 km².
|-
| Swartkops Estuary||1 303||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, Port Elizabeth||Swartkops River||33°52′S 25°38′E||The Swartkops estuary (33° 52’ S; 25° 38’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 134 km long with a catchment area of 1 303 km².
|-
| Gamtoos Estuary||34 635||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, west of Port Elizabeth||Gamtoos River

Gamtoos River

Gamtoos River formed by the Kouga and the Groot is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is approximately 645 km long with a catchment area of 34,635 km²...

||33°58′S 25°04′E||The Gamtoos estuary (33° 58’ S; 25° 04’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies to the west of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 645 km long with a catchment area of 34 635 km².
|-
| Kromme Estuary||1 085||Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

, west of Port Elizabeth||Krom River||34°09′S 24°51′E||The Kromme estuary (34° 09’ S; 24° 51’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies to the west of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

. The river is approximately 109 km long with a catchment area of 1 085 km².
|-
| Keurbooms Estuary||1 080||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, near Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plet or Plett, is the primary town of the Bitou Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of the census of 2001, there were 29149 population...

||Keurbooms River||34°02′S 23°23′E||The Keurbooms system (34° 02’ S; 23° 23’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

province near the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay

Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plet or Plett, is the primary town of the Bitou Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of the census of 2001, there were 29149 population...

. The river is approximately 85 km long with a catchment area of 1 080 km².
|-
| Knysna Estuary and Harbour||525||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, Knysna

Knysna

Knysna is a town with 76,431 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route. It lies 34 degrees south of the equator, and is 72 kilometres east from the town of George on the N2 highway, and 25 kilometres west of Plettenberg Bay on the same road.-History:A...

||Knysna River||34°05′S 23°04′E||The Knysna estuary (34° 05’ S; 23° 04’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated near the coastal town of the Knysna

Knysna

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 60 km long with a catchment area of 525 km².
|-
| Swartvlei Estuary||455||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, between Knysna

Knysna

and Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

||Sedgefield River||34°00′S 22°48′E||The Swartvlei system (34° 00’ S; 22° 48’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is located on the Sedgefield River, approximately midway between the coastal towns of Knysna

Knysna

and Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 38 km long with a catchment area of 455 km².
|-
| Gourits Estuary||45 715||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, southwest of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

||Goutitz River

Gourits River

Gourits River, sometimes spelled Gouritz River, is situated in the Western Cape, South Africa.The Gourits River flows from the confluence of the Gamka River and Olifants River and is joined by the Groot River, before flowing through the Langeberg Mountains and coastal plain. It eventually drains...

||34°21′S 22°33′E}||The Gourits estuary (34° 21’ S; 22° 33’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies southwest of the coastal town of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 416 km long with a catchment area of 45 715 km².
|-
| Goukou Estuary (kafferkuils)||1 550||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, west of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

||Goukou River||34°23′S 21°25′E||The Goukou system (34° 23’ S; 21° 25’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies west of the coastal town of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 67 km long with a catchment area of 1 550 km².
|-
| Duiwenhoks Estuary||1 340||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, est of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

||Duiwenhoks River

Duiwenhoks River

Duiwenhoks River, Located in Western Cape, South Africa, drains the Langeberg Mountains and flows south to the coast, entering the sea west of Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape. The river is approximately 83 km long with a catchment area of 1 340 sq. km...

||34°22′S 21°00′E||The Duiwenhoks estuary (34° 22’ S; 21° 00’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is situated west of the coastal town of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 83 km long with a catchment area of 1 340 km².
|-
| Breë Estuary||12 384||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, west of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

||Bree River||34°24′S 20°51′E||The Breë estuary (34° 24’ S; 20° 51’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and lies west of the coastal town of Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, near Cape Infanta. The river is approximately 337 km long with a catchment area of 12 384 km².
|-
| Heuningnes Estuary||1 400||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

||Heuningnes River||34°42′S 20°07′E||The Heuningnes system (34° 43’ S; 20° 07’E) drains into the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

, and is the southernmost estuary in South Africa, situated near Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. The catchment area that feeds this system is approximately 1 400 km².
|-
| Klein Estuary||906||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, near Hermanus

Hermanus

Hermanus is a town with 49,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous as a place from which to watch Southern Right whales, during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town...

||Klein River

Klein River

Klein River is a river in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The river mouth is located at Hermanus. Its tributaries include the Karringmelk River. It falls within the Drainage system G.- See also :* List of rivers of South Africa...

||34°25′S 19°18′E||The Klein estuary (34° 25’ S; 19° 18’E) drains into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and is located near the coastal town of Hermanus

Hermanus

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 66 km long with a catchment area of 906 km².
|-
| Bot Estuary||920||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, northwest of Hermanus

Hermanus

||Bot River

Bot River

Bot River is a river in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The river mouth is located at Fischerhaven. Its tributaries include the Swart River. It falls within the Drainage system G.- See also :* List of rivers of South Africa...

||34°21′S 19°05′E||The Bot system (34° 21’ S; 19° 05’E) drains into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and is situated just northwest of the coastal town of Hermanus

Hermanus

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 54 km long with a catchment area of 920 km².
|-
| Palmiet Estuary||535||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, west of Hermanus

Hermanus

||Plamiet River||34°21′S 19°00′E}||The Palmiet estuary (34° 21’ S; 19° 00’E) drains into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and is located west of the coastal town of Hermanus

Hermanus

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 73 km long with a catchment area of 535 km².
|-
| Diep Estuary||1 495||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, near Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

||Diep River

Diep River

Diep River, drains the area between the Kasteel Mountain and the northern slopes of the Durbanville Hills, in Western Cape, province South Africa....

||33°53′S 18°28′E||The Diep estuary (33° 53’ S; 18° 28’E) drains into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and is situated near the coastal city of Cape Town

Cape Town

in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

. The river is approximately 87 km long with a catchment area of 1 495 km².
|-
| Berg Estuary||7 715||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, north of Cape Town

Cape Town

||Berg River

Berg River

The Berg River is a river located just north of Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is approximately 294 km long with a catchment area of 7,715 km² and outlets into the Atlantic Ocean. About 65% of the Berg River area is under agriculture...

||32°46′S 18°09′E||The Berg estuary (32° 46’ S; 18° 09’E) drains into the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...

, and is located in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

and is found on the west coast, north of the coastal city of Cape Town

Cape Town

, in fact north of Saldanha Bay

Saldanha Bay

Saldanha Bay is a natural harbour on the south-western coast of South Africa, north west of Cape Town. The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also called Saldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of...

. The river is approximately 294 km long with a catchment area of 7 715 km².
|-
| Verloren Estuary||1 895||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, north of Cape Town

Cape Town

||Verlorenvlei River||32°19′S 18°20′E||The Verlore system (32° 19’ S; 18° 20’E) is located in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

and is found on the west coast, north of the coastal city of Cape Town

Cape Town

, south of Lamberts Bay

Lamberts Bay

Lamberts Bay is a small fishing town in the Western Cape province of South Africa situated 280 kilometres north of Cape Town. It is part of the Cederberg Municipality....

. The river is approximately 101 km long with a catchment area of 1 895 km².
|-
| Olifants Estuary||46 220||Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

, north of Cape Town

Cape Town

||Olifants River||31°42′S 18°11′E||The Olifants estuary (31° 42’ S; 18° 11’E) is located in the Western Cape

Western Cape

The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...

and is found on the west coast, north of the coastal city of Cape Town

Cape Town

, north of Lamberts Bay

Lamberts Bay

Lamberts Bay is a small fishing town in the Western Cape province of South Africa situated 280 kilometres north of Cape Town. It is part of the Cederberg Municipality....

. The river is approximately 285 km long with a catchment area of 46 220 km².
|-
| Orange Estuary (Gariep)||549 700||Northern Cape

Northern Cape

The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...

border Namibia

Namibia

north of Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth is a town and domestic seaport in the Namaqualand region on the northwestern coast of South Africa, 89 miles northwest of Springbok....

||Orange River||28°38′S 16°27′E||The Gariep (Orange) system (28° 38’ S; 16° 27’E) is situated just north of the coastal town of Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth is a town and domestic seaport in the Namaqualand region on the northwestern coast of South Africa, 89 miles northwest of Springbok....

in the Northern Cape

Northern Cape

and forms the border between South Africa and Namibia. The Gariep (Orange) River is the largest in southern Africa and drains most of the western part of southern Africa including parts of Namibia

Namibia

and Lesotho

Lesotho

Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...

. The river is approximately 2 173 km with a catchment area of about 549 700 km².
|}