Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Swartvlei estuary and lake system is situated on the southern coast of the Western Cape Province of South Africa and forms part of the core conservation area of the Wilderness National Park. The Swartvlei system comprises two interlinked water bodies, namely Swartvlei Lake and Swartvlei estuary. SANParks have been monitoring this estuary closely over the past two decades, due to its importance to the ecology and to tourism. There are also low-lying properties on the perimeter of the Swartvlei estuary which run the risk of occasional flooding. Two of the major monitoring issues in this estuary system are the water level required for successful mouth breaching, and the influence of the water level on the low-lying properties. This study presents a preliminary analysis of the sediment budget across the Swartvlei estuary mouth. The objective of this study was to identify the various sediment contributory factors and to estimate the quantities that each individually contributed towards the defined sediment budget. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Swartvlei meer en see monding is geleë aan die kaapse suidkus van Suid- Afrika. Dit vorm deel van die kern bewarings area van die Wilderness Nationale Park. Die Swartvlei sisteem bestaan uit twee verbinde, kern dele nl: Swartvlei meer en estuarium. Vir die afgelope twee dekades is hierdie area onder die noue toesig van SANParke as gevolg van die belangrikheid van die area met betrekking tot toerisme en ekologie. Daar is ook menigde laag liggende eiendomme aan die oewers, wat baie sensitief is vir watervlak stygings. Die optimum water vlakke benodig vir die uitskuring van die gety monding het ook implikasies vir die laag liggende eiendome en vereis noukeurige monitering. ‘n Voorlopige analise van die sediment begroting rondom die gety monding word deur hierdie studie voorgelê.