Northern
Drakensberg
Facts
In Numbers
The Northern Drakensberg is a trans-boundary water source areas (shared with Lesotho) and the KwaZulu-Natal and Free State border. It supplies water to Gauteng, the Free State, parts of the North-West province and parts of KwaZulu-Natal. An important interbasin transfer system (Thukela to Vaal Basin) stems from this water source area.
Size: 896 529 ha
Main Rivers
The Caledon, Orange, Thukela, Vaal and Senqu rivers flow from the Northern Drakensberg water source area.
Did You Know?
- The Orange River, South Africa’s longest river, has the largest dam – the Gariep Dam – with a capacity of 5 340 000 megalitres.
- “Gariep” was a San name for the Orange River.
- The Thukela River flows 900m down the escarpment of the Northern Drakensberg water source area, forming the second highest waterfall in the world.
- 80% of Newcastle’s water is supplied by the Northern Drakensberg water source area.
Threats
Land Use (in %)
- Mining 0.03%
- Wetlands 1.60%
- Urban 3.71%
- Cultivation (irrigated) 1.78%
- Waterbodies 0.84%
- Plantation/Woodlot 2.63%
- Cultivation (dryland) 8.81%
- Natural 80.59%
8% Protected Areas
Only 8% of Northern Drakensberg is protected. This includes the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site (Ramsar Site) and six provincial nature reserves.
- 1
- 6
Threat Status
- River Ecosystems
- Wetland Ecosystems
River Ecosystems
Up to 80% of the Northern Drakensberg is in natural condition.
- 4% Critically Endangered
- 3% Endangered
- 42% Vulnerable
- 51% Least Threatened
Wetland Ecosystems
Up to 34% of wetland ecosystems in Northern Drakensberg are critically endangered.
- 34% Critically Endangered
- 5% Endangered
- 1% Vulnerable
- 59% Least Threatened
RESTRICTIONS ON MINING
Coal mining is a significant threat to this water source area. Nevertheless, only 8% is formally protected. What legal mechanism is available to restrict or prohibit mineral prospecting or mining in a specified area?
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