| Mbhashe River Mbashe, Bashee | |
|---|---|
  Location of the Mbashe River mouth | |
| Etymology | Referring either to 'dark river' or 'dangerous ravine' in the Xhosa language, or perhaps named after a person called 'Mbashe'[1] |
| Location | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Eastern Cape Province |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Drakensberg |
| • location | NE of Elliot, Eastern Cape |
| • elevation | 1,700 m (5,600 ft) |
| Mouth | Indian Ocean |
• location | Bashee |
• coordinates | 32°15′S 28°54′E / 32.250°S 28.900°E |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Basin size | 6,030 km2 (2,330 sq mi) |
Mbhashe River[2] is one of the major rivers in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. It flows in a southeastern direction and has a catchment area of 6,030 km2.[3] The river drains into the Indian Ocean through an estuary located near the lighthouse at Bashee, south of Mhlanganisweni.[4]
After passing under national road N2, the Mbhashe River encounters southwest of Elliotdale and north-east of Dutywa the more rugged terrain of the Wild Coast and suddenly enters into a 64 km long series of violent twists and turns known as the Collywobbles before continuing more sedately towards the Indian Ocean.[5][6]
The Mbhashe river's main tributaries are the Xuka River, Mgwali River, Dutywa River and the Mnyolo River. Presently this river is part of the Mzimvubu to Keiskamma Water Management Area.[7]
- ^ Dictionary of Southern African Place Names
- ^ https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/26552a0.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Mbhashe River Trends - 2007/2010
- ^ Lighthouses of S Africa: M'bashee Lighthouse
- ^ "Proposed Mgwali South Water Supply iDutywa, Mbhashe Municipality, Amatole District Municipality Eastern Cape Province Heritage Impact Report" (PDF). Professional Grave Solutions (Pty) Ltd. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ Matthews, Sue (November 2008), "Harnessing the Collywobbles" (PDF), The Water Wheel: 22–24
- ^ Is there a role for traditional governance systems in South Africa's new water management regime?