Mpumalanga
Drakensberg
Facts
In Numbers
The Mpumalanga Drakensberg water source area supplies water to parts of Mpumalanga (eMalahleni, Middleburg and Nelspruit) as well as Phalaborwa in Limpopo.
Size: 869 676 ha
Main Rivers
The Olifants, Sabie, Elands and Crocodile rivers flow from Mpumalanga Drakensberg. Free-flowing rivers that flow from this water source area include Elands, Mbyamiti and Nwanedzi-Sweni.
Did You Know?
- Approximately 6000 old mines in South Africa have been abandoned. Coal and gold mines leak acid mine drainage (AMD) into nearby rivers.
- The Mpumalanga Drakensberg supplies the Olifants catchments with freshwater.
- The Olifants catchment has been significantly impacted by acid mine drainage.
- A Ramsar Site, the Verloren Vallei Nature Reserve, is located within this water source area.
Threats
Land Use (in %)
- Mining 0.00%
- Wetlands 1.57%
- Urban 2.51%
- Cultivation (irrigated) 2.05%
- Waterbodies 0.33%
- Plantation/Woodlot 37.95%
- Cultivation (dryland) 2.05%
- Natural 53.45%
9% Protected Areas
Only 9% of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg water source is formally protected. This includes ten provincial nature reserves, twelve forest protected areas and two local nature reserves. The Kruger National Park is downstream this water source area.
- 12
- 10
- 2
Threat Status
- River Ecosystems
- Wetland Ecosystems
River Ecosystems
Approximately 53% of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg is in natural condition.
- 6% Critically Endangered
- 34% Endangered
- 6% Vulnerable
- 54% Least Threatened
Wetland Ecosystems
- 26% Critically Endangered
- 20% Endangered
- 54% Vulnerable
- 54% Least Threatened
PROTECTION FROM MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES
Coal mining is a significant threat to the Mpumalanga Drakensberg. Further, 37% of the water source is under large-scale plantation. Only 53% is in natural condition and only 9% is protected. Which legal mechanism may provide protection from environmental impacts of mining, cultivation and forestry activities?
Interactive Map
South Africa has 22 water source areas spread across five provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo). The total size of our water source areas is 12.32 million hectares. A number of these areas extend and are shared with Lesotho and Swaziland; approximately 1.91 million hectares in Lesotho and 0.93 million hectares in Swaziland.
The total volume of water supplied by these areas per year is approximately 2 457 million cubic metres. The greatest volume of recharge is generated by the Southern Drakensberg, followed by the Eastern Cape Drakensberg and the Boland Mountains.
- Boland Mountains
- Groot Winterhoek
- Table Mountain
- Langeberg
- Swartberg
- Kouga
- Outeniqua
- Soutpansberg
- Wolkberg
- Tsitsikamma
- Waterberg
- Amatole
- Eastern Cape Drakensberg
- Maloti Drakensberg
- Mfolozi Headwaters
- Southern Drakensberg
- Northern Drakensberg
- Mpumalanga Drakensberg
- Mbanane Hills
- Enkangala Drakensberg
- Upper Vaal
- Upper Usutu