| Work Detail |
The Clanwilliam Dam, located on the Olifants River, was originally built in 1935 and the dam wall was last raised in the 1960s A stop-start water management project initiated in the 2000s in South Africa’s Western Cape province has been earmarked for completion in 2028. The national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said it will “ensure the acceleration” of the R5.7 billion project to raise the Clanwilliam Dam wall. The dam, on the Olifants River, is described by the Department as “one of [the] key catalytic projects that will significantly increase water supply within the Cederberg Municipality.” This project, which is envisaged to be completed in 2028, involves raising the dam by 13 metres. This is expected to almost triple its water yield. Clanwilliam Dam project to benefit local farmers, industry The main beneficiaries will be local farmers, households and historically disadvantaged farmers, the Department said. “During the construction phase, the project is expected to generate substantial economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs.” Minister Pemmy Majodina visited the Clanwilliam Dam this past weekend to assess progress on the raising of the dam wall. The visit aimed to review the progress of the project and provide support in addressing any challenges that may impact its completion. A month ago, GroundUp quoted DWS spokesperson Wisane Mavasa as saying that the current progress of the project is at 19%. The project only commenced in 2018 (the year it had initially been scheduled to have been completed), 10 years after the initial feasibility study to raise the Clanwilliam Dam wall was finalised in 2008. During the weekend visit, Majodina gave her department’s commitment to see the R5.7 billion project through to completion and on schedule. Clanwilliam Dam a priority project, says DWS The mega project in Cederberg Municiaplity, is one of the department’s priority projects, and is expected to be completed in 2028, the DWS said previously. “Let us ensure that we accelerate the project so that it can be finalised on time. The project will not only determine the safety of the dam but will also bring economic spin-offs to the area of Clanwilliam and its surroundings. “I am satisfied with the progress of the project and the multiple work that is running concurrently. This will speed up the completion of the project,” Majodina said during her visit to the Western Cape. According to the Department, the project is “part of the Olifants-Doorn River Water Resources Project (ODRWP) currently under way.” Progress recorded so far The Department said that the concrete placement of the dam’s apron started last March and was completed in June. “This is a construction of a concrete structure below the dam to protect it against water washes in the dam or to form a basin to control flows. The apron also prevents sediments, organic matter, and pollutants to potentially reduce storage capacity and impacting on the water quality. “The completed project will supply raw water from the Clanwilliam Dam to the farmers, municipalities, mines and industries in the Olifants River valley between the dam and the estuary (river mouth). “The pre-construction activities at the dam commenced in 2018 and the construction progress is currently at 21% as of 1 March 2025,” the department said. The project has been broken down into several components with the main component “the alignment of the N7 National Route completed in 2017.” |
