Elands River (North West)

Last updated
Elands River
South Africa relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the Elands River mouth
EtymologyNamed after the Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx)
Native name Tswana: Kgetleng
Location
Country South Africa
Province North West
Cities Swartruggens, Sun City
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationWest of Koster
  elevation1,650 m (5,410 ft)
Mouth Crocodile River (West)
  location
Near Vaalkop Dam
  coordinates
25°27′51″S26°45′24″E / 25.46417°S 26.75667°E / -25.46417; 26.75667
  elevation
971 m (3,186 ft)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  right Koster River, Selons River, Hex River

The Elands River (Tswana : Kgetleng, [1] Afrikaans : Elandsrivier) is located in the North West Province, South Africa. It is a tributary of the Crocodile River, part of the Limpopo River basin.

Contents

A soldier from the 3rd New South Wales Bushmen contingent at Elands River in 1901, one year after the battle AWM A05317 3rd New South Wales Bushmen Elands River 1901.jpg
A soldier from the 3rd New South Wales Bushmen contingent at Elands River in 1901, one year after the battle

Course

The Elands River originates west of Koster, North West Province, flowing northwards across Swartruggens into the Lindleyspoort Dam. A few kilometers downstream from the dam wall it bends eastwards east of Silwerkrans and goes meandering in an ENE direction across the veld for many miles. [2] Further east it flows right south of the Pilanesberg, barely 1.5 km from the outer perimeter of the ancient crater formation.

The Elands continues flowing eastward to the Vaalkop Dam. Finally, about 5 km downstream, it joins the Crocodile River's left bank. [3] Its main tributaries are the Koster River, Selons River and Hex River, the latter joining its right bank at the Vaalkop Reservoir. [4]

There is much platinum mining, including its related elements palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium, in the Elands River basin, as well as the gold, nickel and copper present in the ores. The only major city in the area is Rustenburg. Sun City is located between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg mountain.

History

This river is famous for the Battle of Elands River of the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought in 1900 between a force of 2,000 to 3,000 Boers who attacked a garrison of 500 Australian, Rhodesian, Canadian and British soldiers who were posted at a supply dump in Brakfontein Drift. The battle took place at point close to the river along the supply route between Rustenburg and Zeerust. [5]

Dams in the river

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molopo River</span> River in Botswana and South Africa

The Molopo River is one of the main rivers in Southern Africa. It has a length of approximately 960 kilometres and a catchment area of 367,201 km2 with Botswana, Namibia and South Africa sharing roughly about a third of the basin each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rustenburg</span> City in North West province, South Africa

Rustenburg is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa. In 2017, the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached ZAR 63.8 billion, accounting for 21.1% of the GDP of the North West Province, and 1.28% of the GDP of South Africa. Rustenburg was one of the official host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, being in close proximity to Phokeng, the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, where the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is located. The England national football team also used this as their base camp for the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swartruggens</span> Place in North West, South Africa

Swartruggens is a small farming town in North West Province, South Africa that was established in 1875.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olifants River (Limpopo)</span> River in South Africa and Mozambique

The Olifants River,Lepelle, iBhalule or Obalule is a river in South Africa and Mozambique, a tributary of the Limpopo River. It falls into the Drainage Area B of the Drainage basins of South Africa. The historical area of the Pedi people, Sekhukhuneland, is located between the Olifants River and one of its largest tributaries, the Steelpoort River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Komati River</span> River in Eswatini, Mozambique

The Komati River, also known as the Inkomati River or Incomati River, is a river in South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. Originating in north-western Eswatini, it is joined by the Crocodile River in the Lebombo Mountains, enters far south-western Mozambique below the border town of Komatipoort, and enters the Indian Ocean around 24 km (15 mi) north-east of Maputo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N4 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N4 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Skilpadshek on the Botswana border, past Rustenburg, Pretoria, eMalahleni and Mbombela, to Komatipoort on the Mozambique border. The entire route is a toll road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilanesberg</span> Ancient volcanic structure in South Africa

The Pilanesberg is a mountain in the North West Province, South Africa. The mountain is an ancient volcanic structure, circular in shape, that rises from flat surrounding plains. It is formed by three concentric ridges or rings of hills, of which the outermost has a diameter of about 24 km. The Pilanesberg is located 100 km to the North-West of Pretoria and is for the greater part enclosed in a protected area known as Pilanesberg National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bospoort Dam</span> Dam in North West

Bospoort Dam is a gravity/earth-fill type dam on the Hex River, a tributary of the Elands River, part of the Crocodile River (Limpopo) basin. It is located near Rustenburg, North West, South Africa. Its primary purpose is for irrigation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crocodile River (Mpumalanga)</span> River in South Africa

The Crocodile River, also referred to as Crocodile River (East), (Afrikaans: Krokodilrivier) is a large river traversing Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It is a tributary of the Komati River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crocodile River (Limpopo)</span> River in South Africa

The Crocodile River is a river in South Africa. At its confluence with the Marico River, the Limpopo River is formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronkhorst Spruit</span> River in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, South Africa

The Bronkhorst Spruit, meaning watercress stream or creek, is a river in the Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. In the 19th century it as was known as the Kalkoenkransrivier or Rhenosterpoortrivier. It is a tributary of the Wilge River in the Olifants River basin, and it lends its name to the town of Bronkhorstspruit, situated mainly on its right bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pienaars River</span> River in South Africa

The Pienaars River is a river in South Africa. It is a tributary of the Crocodile River. A short section of this river is known as the Moretele River. Tributaries of the Pienaars River include the Moreletaspruit. Note that the above-mentioned Moretele river section is 60 km away from the Moreletaspruit and these two should not be confused with one another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marico River</span> River in South Africa, Botswana

The Marico River or Madikwe is a river in Southern Africa. There are a number of dams in its basin. Groot Marico town is named after the Marico River. After it is joined on its right bank by the Crocodile River it is known as the Limpopo River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Elands River (1900)</span> Battle of the Second Boer War

The Battle of Elands River was an engagement of the Second Boer War that took place between 4 and 16 August 1900 in western Transvaal. The battle was fought at Brakfontein Drift near the Elands River between a force of 2,000 to 3,000 Boers and a garrison of 500 Australian, Rhodesian, Canadian and British soldiers, which was stationed there to protect a British supply dump that had been established along the route between Mafeking and Pretoria. The Boer force, which consisted of several commandos under the overall leadership of Koos de la Rey, was in desperate need of provisions after earlier fighting had cut it off from its support base. As a result, it was decided to attack the garrison along the Elands River in an effort to capture the supplies located there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rietvlei River</span> River in Gauteng, South Africa

The Rietvlei River is a small river in central Gauteng Province, South Africa. It feeds the wetlands of the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, before it flows into Rietvlei Dam, which is one of the main sources of water for Pretoria. The river downstream of the dam is known as Sesmylspruit, which is a tributary of the Hennops River and part of the Crocodile River (Limpopo) basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elands River (Olifants)</span> River in South Africa

The Elands River is a river in the former Transvaal area, South Africa. It is a tributary of the Olifants River, part of the Limpopo River basin.

The Vaalkop Dam is a combined gravity and earth-fill type dam located in North West Province, South Africa. Its reservoir is located at the confluence of the Elands River and the Hex River, part of the Crocodile basin. The dam was established originally in 1972 and was renovated in 2008 in order to supply water for the platinum and associated metals mining operations in the area. The dam mainly serves for irrigation purposes, municipal water supply and industrial uses. The hazard potential of the dam has been ranked high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilge River</span> River in South Africa

The Wilge River is a tributary of the Vaal River in central South Africa. This river is important as part of the Tugela-Vaal Water Transfer Scheme where water is transferred from the Tugela River basin to the Vaal River basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacobus Philippus Snyman</span> Boer general during the Second Boer War

General Jacobus Philippus Snyman was one of the dominant military figures in the South African Republic during the 19th century. He was the District Commissioner, Native Commissioner, and Commandant for the Marico district and led the Rustenburg and Marico commandos during the Second Boer War. Nicknamed Hamerkop, Snyman came to international prominence as the military commander at the Siege of Mafeking from November 1899 to May 1900.

References

  1. Morton, Fred. "Fenders of Space: Kgatla Territorial Expansion Under Boer and British Rule, 1840–1920". Indigenous Southern African Responses to Colonialism, 1840-1930: 21–46.
  2. "Swartruggens - North West Province South Africa". Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2012-04-06.
  3. Crocodile/Marico WMA 3
  4. Vaalkop (reservoir)
  5. Wulfsohn, Lionel (1984). "Elands River: A Siege Which Possibly Changed the Course of History in South Africa". Military History Journal. South African Military History Society. 6 (3). ISSN   0026-4016.