Mbhashe River

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 (2330 sq. mi.).^[3] The river drains into the Indian Ocean through an estuary located near the lighthouse at Bashee, south of Mhlanganisweni.^[4]

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
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Basin size	6,030 km2 (2,330 sq mi)

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 (40 mile) 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]

History

In 1554 Portuguese ship São Bento ran aground at the mouth of the Mbhashe River. The ordeal of 322 of its survivors, who walked from there to Lourenço Marques, presently Maputo, has been recorded.^[8]

Mvezo is a village on the banks of the Mbhashe River, where Nelson Mandela was born in 1918.^[9]

Ecology

Some of the fishes caught in its waters are Labeobarbus aeneus, Barbus pallidus, Barbus anoplus, Myxus capensis, Anguilla marmorata and Anguilla mossambica. Labeobarbus aeneus is an invasive species, now widely present in the river system.^[10]

See also

• List of rivers of South Africa
• List of estuaries of South Africa