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 means "the reaper of mouthfuls" because of the damage the river does to crops during floods.
| Mtamvuna River Umtamvuna | |
|---|---|
 View of the Mtamvuna River Gorge from Clearwater Trail Centre, near Port Edward | |
  Location of the Mtamvuna River mouth | |
| Etymology | Mtamvuna meaning "the reaper of mouthfuls" in the Xhosa language.[1] |
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | KwaZulu-Natal / Eastern Cape Province |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Near Weza Forest Reserve, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| • elevation | 1,820 m (5,970 ft) |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
• location | 5km S of Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
• coordinates | 31°4′49″S 30°11′42″E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 162 km (101 mi) |
| Basin size | 1,553 km2 (600 sq mi) |
History
Historically the Mtamvuna River is the northern limit of the Pondoland region.[2]
In 1552 a Portuguese ship ran aground at the mouth of the Mtamvuna River and a group of local people got close to the sailors wishing to trade with them.[3]
Ecology
The Umtamvuna Nature Reserve is a protected area located close to the deep Mtamvuna River Gorge.[4] Presently this river is part of the Mvoti to Umzimkulu Water Management Area.[5]
