▁Current , ▁which ▁provides ▁warm ▁waters . ▁These ▁two ▁curr ents ▁have ▁a ▁major ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁country ' s ▁climate , ▁the ▁ready ▁ev ap oration ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁se as ▁providing ▁gener ous ▁ra inf all ▁while ▁the ▁Beng uela ▁current ▁retain s ▁its ▁mo ist ure ▁to ▁cause ▁desert ▁conditions ▁in ▁the ▁west . ▁ ▁Several ▁small ▁rivers ▁run ▁into ▁the ▁sea ▁along ▁the ▁coast line , ▁but ▁none ▁is ▁navig able ▁and ▁none ▁provides ▁useful ▁natural ▁har b ours . ▁The ▁coast line ▁itself , ▁being ▁fairly ▁smooth , ▁provides ▁only ▁one ▁good ▁natural ▁har bour ▁at ▁S ald anha ▁Bay ▁north ▁of ▁Cape ▁Town . ▁A ▁lack ▁of ▁fresh ▁water , ▁however , ▁prevent ed ▁permanent ▁settlement ▁here ▁until ▁relatively ▁recently . ▁The ▁Bay ▁of ▁Natal ▁looks , ▁on ▁the ▁map , ▁like ▁a ▁good ▁natural ▁har bour , ▁but , ▁in ▁its ▁natural ▁state , ▁it ▁was ▁dry ▁at ▁low ▁t ide . ▁Nevertheless , ▁busy ▁har b ours ▁now ▁exist ▁at ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁Port ▁Elizabeth , ▁East ▁London , ▁Dur ban ▁in ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Natal , ▁and ▁Rich ards ▁Bay . ▁S ald anha ▁Bay ▁is ▁today ▁an ▁important ▁har bour ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁S ish en – S ald anha ▁railway ▁line ▁for ▁the ▁export ▁of ▁Iron ▁ore ▁from ▁the ▁interior . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁is ▁largely ▁a ▁dry ▁country , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁western ▁regions ▁being ▁semi - des ert . ▁The ▁ra inf all ▁increases