Names of rivers in Nkomazi Municipality: Mpumalanga Province

Abstract

Names of rivers contribute a very important part of the language of that society. They are sometimes preserving words and elements no  longer current in that language. They comprise a major part of helping vocabulary on that society. Although the river names commonly  originate in a specific language, they are used by speakers of other languages as well and become part of the vocabulary of the receiving and adopting language, notwithstanding sometimes in a modified phonological orthographic system of that language. Rivers cannot  continue to meet society’s needs, or the needs of living things, if the society continue to regard the river management as a purely  political challenge. Flow of rivers is a part of greater flow, the planet’s cycle, which sustains not only the flow of water but the entire web  of life. River secures livelihoods, health and nutrition, good social relations, science, and education mental health and spiritual  satisfaction. This research aims at examining names of rivers in Nkomazi Municipality in Mpumalanga. This research study is guided by  onomastics approach. The discussion focuses on the meaning of names of rivers and their relationship with historical events.