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'Gamtoos River' is situated in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is approximately 645 km long with a catchment area of 34,635 km². The name Gamtoos is probably derived from a Khoikhoi clan whose name was given by early Dutch settlers as "Gamtousch".
Although the rainfall in the catchment area is low it supports a commercial irrigated agriculture in the lower catchment in which oranges, tobacco, citrus fruit and vegetables are grown. Where the Gamtoos river enters the Indian Ocean between Jeffreys Bay and Port Elizabeth there is the Gamtoos River Mouth Nature Reserve. The towns of Hankey, the oldest town situated in the Gamtoos river valley and Patensie is situated in the lower catchment. Further inland are the towns of Steytlerville, Joubertina, Uniondale, Willowmore and Murraysburg.
Sarah Baartman - the "Hottentot Venus" - was born around 1789 in the vicinity of the Gamtoos river.