The Mooi River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. It rises in the Mkomazi Nature Reserve in the Drakensberg Mountains, and empties into the Tugela River near Muden. The town of Mooi River lies on the river.[2]

Mooi
Mooirivier, Mpofana
Cascades on the Mooi River in the Rosetta region of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Mooi River in the Tugela catchment area (bottom center)
EtymologyMooirivier meaning 'pretty river' in Afrikaans; Mpofana or Mpafana meaning either 'little eland', 'the greyish one' or 'wild mulberry tree' in the Zulu language[1]
Location
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceKwaZulu-Natal
TownsMooi River
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMkomazi Nature Reserve
MouthTugela River 28°45′46″S 30°34′7″E / 28.76278°S 30.56861°E / -28.76278; 30.56861

Name

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The name derives from the Dutch Mooirivier, i.e. pretty river, as it was named by the Voortrekkers in the mid-19th century. The river's Zulu name, Mpofana, means 'young eland'.[3]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Dictionary of Southern African Place Names
  2. ^ Bell, W A (1928). "Upper Cretaceous plants from Stikine River, Cassiar District, British Columbia". doi:10.4095/105031. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ du Plessis, E.J. (1973). Suid-Afrikaanse berg- en riviername. Tafelberg-uitgewers, Cape Town. pp. 280–281. ISBN 0-624-00273X.