Eksteenfontein is a town in Namakwa District Municipality in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, on the edge of the Richtersveld World Heritage Site. The town is situated off the R382 in the southern part of the Richtersveld Mountain Desert. Eksteenfontein was named after the Reverend Eksteen who negotiated with the government for land for the Basters – a group of indigenous people who were driven away from their ancestral grounds near Van Rhynsdorp. The “fontein” (“fountain”) of Eksteenfontein refers to a traditional story, told by Nama elders, about an ancient fountain near the Stink River. Livestock farming is the leading economic activity in Eksteenfontein; many residents also work at nearby diamond mines. Tourists are advised to pack first-aid kits when visiting. Water here is brackish, yet safe to drink: local shops sell, however, bottled water. Town facilities include a library, a liquor store, a post office, public phones, accommodation, and cellphone and internet reception.
Eksteensfontein is part of the Richtersveld Local Municipality which is a Category B municipality in the Namakwa District of the Northern Cape Province. It is the smallest municipality of six in the district, making up only 6% of its geographical area. The municipality is named after Reverend W Richter, a Dutch missionary of the 20th century who opened a mission station in Koeboes. The Richtersveld is a unique landscape surrounded by a variety of contrasts. It is a conservation area. Rainfall is minimal and water is a scarce commodity, yet the vast plains, which are considered a special place by some, are still a very beautiful region with unique characteristics that attract thousands of tourists.
In Port Nolloth there is the ocean, at Alexander Bay there is the Orange River, and at Lekkersing and Eksteensfontein there is underground water that is a little brackish.
Cities/Towns close to Eksteensfontein are Alexander Bay, Kuboes, Port Nolloth, Richtersveld, and Sanddrift.
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