Save. South Africa’s largest neighbors are oceans. The country is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. South Africa’s interior is semiarid; largely made up of dry scrub and desert.There are no navigable rivers and no large lakes in South Africa. The largest rivers are the Limpopo and the Orange rivers.Navigating the waters near South Africa is difficult due to strong ocean currents. The Portuguese explorer, Bartholomew Diaz, was the first to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, a historic achievement that opened the way for exploration of the New World.he largest rivers are the Limpopo and the Orange rivers. Navigating the waters near South Africa is difficult due to strong ocean currents. The Portuguese explorer, Bartholomew Diaz, was the first to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, a historic achievement that opened the way for exploration of the New World.