Maputo River

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The Maputo River (Portuguese Rio Maputo), also called Great Usutu River, Lusutfu River or Suthu River, is a river in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The name Suthu refers to Basotho people who lived near the source of the river, who where attacked and displaced by Swazis.^[1] It is also said to mean 'dark brown', a description of the river's muddy water.^[2]

The river rises near Amsterdam, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and flows through Swaziland in an easterly direction, where it enters the Lubumbo Mountains. The 13km gorge forms the boundary between Swaziland and South Africa. For a stretch of about 20km it forms the border between South Africa (province of KwaZulu-Natal) and Mozambique. Here, in the Ndumo Game Reserve, it takes in its largest tributary, the Pongola River. It then meanders through the Mozambican coastal plain and empties into southern Maputo Bay, some 85km downstream.

In Swaziland the river, here called Great Usutu or Lusutfu, runs through the towns of Bhunya, Loyengo, Siphofaneni and Big Bend. The town of Big Bend is located near a point in the river course where it meanders abrupty. The Great Usutu is the largest river in Swaziland, is home to Swaziland's lowest point (21 meters above sea level), and is known for white water rafting. No large towns have been able to form around it, due to the large valleys and forests on its banks. However it is home to some golf courses, hotels and nature preserves.

[edit] Notes

^ Von Willig, G.R. (1925). Langs die Lebombo. J.L. van Schaik, Pretoria, p. 175, 217.
^ Raper, P.E. (2004). South African place names. Jonathan Ball, Jhb and Cape Town, p. 387. ISBN 1-86842-190-2.