Bronkhorst Spruit

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title: "Bronkhorst Spruit" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["olifants-river-(limpopo)", "rivers-of-gauteng", "rivers-of-mpumalanga"] description: "River in South Africa" topic_path: "general/olifants-river-limpopo" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronkhorst_Spruit" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary River in South Africa ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Bronkhorst Spruit
name_etymology	Likely named after "bronkors" or "bronkhorst" the Afrikaans word for watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
image	Bronkhorstspruit met wilgerboom op oewer, a.jpg
map_caption	Location of the Bronkhorstspruit mouth
pushpin_map	South Africa
subdivision_type1	Country
subdivision_name1	South Africa
subdivision_type2	State
subdivision_name2	Gauteng and Mpumalanga
source1	Witwatersrand
source1_location	East of Springs, Gauteng
source1_elevation	1630 m
mouth	Wilge River (Olifants)
mouth_location	East of Bronkhorstspruit
mouth_coordinates
mouth_elevation	1370 m
tributaries_left	Delmas River
::

| name = Bronkhorst Spruit | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = Likely named after "bronkors" or "bronkhorst" the Afrikaans word for watercress (Nasturtium officinale) | image = Bronkhorstspruit met wilgerboom op oewer, a.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = Location of the Bronkhorstspruit mouth | pushpin_map = South Africa | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = South Africa | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Gauteng and Mpumalanga | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = | source1 = Witwatersrand | source1_location = East of Springs, Gauteng | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 1630 m | mouth = Wilge River (Olifants) | mouth_location = East of Bronkhorstspruit | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 1370 m | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = Delmas River | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = The Bronkhorst Spruit, meaning watercress stream or creek, is a river in the Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. In the 19th century it as was known as the Kalkoenkransrivier or Rhenosterpoortrivier. It is a tributary of the Wilge River in the Olifants River basin, and it lends its name to the town of Bronkhorstspruit, situated mainly on its right bank.

Course

Its sources are located in the highveld grasslands of western Mpumalanga, about 30 km to the ESE of Springs, Gauteng. It flows generally northwards and its main tributary, the Delmas River, joins its left bank. Further downstream it flows into the Bronkhorstspruit Dam, situated in eastern Gauteng. Then before it bends northeastwards it passes by the Bronkhorstspruit urban area. It finally has a confluence with the Wilge River some 10 km east of the town, at Premiermyn Dam, Gauteng.

History

Main article: Action at Bronkhorstspruit

When a group of Voortrekkers arrived at it in 1858, they called it the Kalkoenkransrivier, suggesting a breeding site of bald ibis, and on Merensky's map of 1875 it (including the current lower Wilge) is the Rhenosterpoortrivier. In 1880 this river was the scene of the action at Bronkhorstspruit, a battle between a Boer commando under the command of Frans Joubert and British troops under Lieutenant-Colonel Anstruther. It was one of the first serious clashes in the early days of the First Boer War.

Dams in the river

• Bronkhorstspruit Dam
• Premiermyn Dam

References

References

1. [https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfSouthernAfricanPlaceNames/SaPlaceNames_djvu.txt Dictionary of Southern African Place Names]
2. [http://www.dwaf.gov.za/iwqs/rhp/eco/FROC/WMA4Olifants.jpg Olifants WMA 4]
3. [http://www.dwaf.gov.za/IWQS/rhp/state_of_rivers/state_of_crocsabieolif_01/olif_eco_7.02.html The Olifants River System]
4. [http://www.dwaf.gov.za/iwqs/rhp/eco/FROC/WMA4Olifants.jpg Olifants WMA 4]
5. (September 2016). "Vlakfontein: AIA-270716 (A Phase 1 Archaeological Impact Assessment for I-Cat International Consulting & Trading (Pty) Ltd on a Portion of Portion 25 of the Farm Vlakfontein 523 JR, Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng)".
6. Castle, Ian. ''Majuba 1881: The Hill of Destiny.'' Oxford, Osprey Publishing, 1996, {{ISBN. 1-85532-503-9

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