It is located close to the towns of Welkom and Virginia in the gold mining centre of the Free State.

Its source is located close to Tweefontein NW of Ficksburg not far from the South Africa-Lesotho border (at 28°40′49″S 27°41′23″E / 28.68028°S 27.68972°E / -28.68028; 27.68972).

A monument commemorating the ceremony can today be found on the banks of the river some 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Winburg.

[4] On 25 March 25, 1900, during the guerrilla phase of the Anglo-Boer War, a Council-of-War led by the Boers that wanted to continue with the hostilities was held at a bridge over the Sand River.

[6] The river was named after an incident where a wagon got bogged down in its sand, and had to be unloaded before the journey could continue.