Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo has commended the progress made on the R8 billion Raising of the Clanwilliam Dam Wall Project, which is underway in the Cederberg Local Municipality, Western Cape.
Mahlobo made the remarks during a site visit to the project on Wednesday, where he assessed construction progress on the strategic water infrastructure, and engaged with contractors on site and local stakeholders, including water users affected by the project.
The Deputy Minister commended the teams working on the project for completing several critical phases, including the emergency construction of the upstream coffer dam at the dam's intake tower, the lower spillway section, and preparatory work for the construction of the new dam wall, among others.
During the inspection, Mahlobo noted that the demolition of certain parts of the old dam wall has been completed, while drilling and grouting of the new dam wall foundation are at an advanced stage. Concrete placement for the new wall has reached 21 998 cubic metres.
The excavations of the foundation of the coffer dam resumed in February after being delayed by exceptionally high rainfall during last year’s rainy seasons. Construction of the lower spillway was completed in May this year.
More long-term milestones, which include the installation of the spillway pipes and gallery construction, are expected to commence in November 2026, while excavation of the tunnel and the intake tower is scheduled for completion by June 2027, with the overall project expected to be completed in 2028.
“I am very pleased because it is not an easy thing, but the team that is working here [from our department] is very experienced... It is an advantage that there is capacity within the State to do these kinds of major infrastructure projects… and that the department was able to bring in experience... mostly South African entities and companies... [This] is one of those particular advantages with which we are very pleased," Mahlobo said.
He said that while work is ongoing, they are striving to strike a balance between continued service delivery and assuring supply for both domestic and agricultural use.
During engagements with various stakeholders, including the Clanwilliam Water Users Association and the Lower Olifants River Water User Association, Mahlobo assured them that the project remains on schedule. He called on the stakeholders to work together with the department until the project’s completion.
“There is still more work to be done on this project, and we encourage the coordination of cooperative governance with stakeholders, as well as the provincial government. Good short-term milestones have been achieved, but there is still a lot of work to be done, and we therefore need to work together to ensure that we reach our targets and finalisation of the project within the planned timeframe,” Mahlobo said.
The Raising of the Clanwilliam Dam Wall Project is one of government's flagship water infrastructure investments aimed at improving long-term water security along the West Coast of the Western Cape.
Once completed, the dam wall will be raised by 13 metres, increasing the dam's storage capacity by approximately 82 million cubic metres of water. The additional storage will improve the reliability of water supplies for irrigation, domestic consumption and regional economic development.
The project is expected to local farmers, households, and historically disadvantaged farmers. It will also improve compliance to dam safety standards during high flood conditions and maintain ecological requirements of the Oliphant River. – SAnews.gov.za
