Riet River
Encyclopedia
The Riet River is a westward-flowing tributary
of the Vaal River
in central South Africa
, of which a major tributary, in turn, is the Modder River
. In precolonial times the Riet was known as the Gama-!ab (or Gmaap), a !Kora name meaning muddy (=modder in Afrikaans
). The Riet flows about 300 km from the vicinity of the eastern Free State
town of Smithfield
and has a confluence with the Vaal River
upstream from the Northern Cape
town of Douglas
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Vaal River
Vaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
in central South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, of which a major tributary, in turn, is the Modder River
Modder River
The Modder River is a river in South Africa that forms part of the border between the Northern Cape and the Free State provinces.Modder River may also refer to:* Modder River, Northern Cape - A small town in the Northern Cape....
. In precolonial times the Riet was known as the Gama-!ab (or Gmaap), a !Kora name meaning muddy (=modder in Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
). The Riet flows about 300 km from the vicinity of the eastern Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
town of Smithfield
Smithfield, Free State
Smithfield is a small town in the Free State province of South Africa. It was founded in 1848 when the then Cape Colony governor, Sir Harry Smith , required a settlement north of the Orange River. Smithfield is the third oldest village in the Free State.-History:Waterval farm was the original site...
and has a confluence with the Vaal River
Vaal River
The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. The river has its source in the Drakensberg mountains in Mpumalanga, east of Johannesburg and about 30 km north of Ermelo and only about 240 km from the Indian Ocean. It then flows westwards to its conjunction...
upstream from the 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...
town of Douglas
Douglas, Northern Cape
Douglas is a town situated near the confluence of the Orange and Vaal Rivers in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. On this fertile soil nestles the town of Douglas. The town itself is a green patchwork of dramatic contrast - space for the solitary and activity for the energetic...
.
See also
- List of rivers in South Africa
- Siege of KimberleySiege of KimberleyThe Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
- Battle of PaardebergBattle of PaardebergThe Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....