The Nzhelele River is a major watercourse in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The river's catchment area comprises 2,436 square kilometers.[2]

Nzhelele River
Location of the Nzhelele River mouth
Etymology	Nzhelele meaning a falcon or an eagle that in ancient times followed elephant hunters and fed on the meat hanging in the trees to dry.[1]
Location
Country	South Africa
State	Limpopo Province
Region	Dzanani
District	Vhembe
Municipality	Makhado
Physical characteristics
Source	Thathe Vondo
• location	Soutpansberg
• elevation	1,673 m (5,489 ft)
Mouth
• location	Limpopo River, South Africa/Zimbabwe border
• coordinates	22°21′08″S 30°22′19″E
• elevation	404 m (1,325 ft)
Basin size	2,436 km2 (941 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Mutamba
• right	Mufungudi, Tshishiru

Course

This river collects much of the drainage of the northern slopes of the extensive rock formation of the Soutpansberg. Leaving the mountainous area, it meanders in a northeastward direction across the Lowveld, a wide plain that contains considerable biodiversity, including numerous large mammals such as giraffes, white rhinos and blue wildebeests.[3] It joins the right bank of the Limpopo River 33 km east of Musina.[4]

The Mutamba River, its main tributary, rises in the Buelgum Poort farm of the Soutpansberg, further west from the sources of the Nzhelele.[5] Other tributaries are the Tshiruru River, Mugungudi River, Mutshedzi River and the Wyllie River.[6]

Dams in the basin

• Nzhelele Dam
• Mutshedzi Dam, in the Mutshedzi River

See also

• Drainage basin A
• Limpopo Water Management Area
• List of rivers of South Africa

References

External links

• Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs) - Soutpansberg
• Limpopo WMA1
• Aventura Tshipise Resort & Restaurant