Water Wheels

The Orange River flows through a semi-desert when it gets to the Northern Cape towns of Upington and Kakamas. But once its life-giving waters enter the furrows and are pumped to the heights by ancient Persian waterwheels, the land turns fertile and able to support a great fruit industry.

Eleven waterwheels are still used on the canals. They can be seen in Voortrekker Street or on the many canals running through the vineyards, lucerne and cottonfields.