Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Judith Tshabalala, has ordered the establishment of a task team to work around the clock in a coordinated manner to ensure that the Metz Dam in Limpopo is rehabilitated and to ensure the safety of communities living adjacent to the dam.
Tshabalala visited Ga-Sekororo on Thursday to assess the state of the dam, amid safety concerns.
The Metz Dam is classified as a Category II Dam with a safety risk in terms of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act no 36 of 1998). It is situated on the farm Metz 75 in Ga-Sekororo within the Mopani District Municipality, falling under the Olifants Water Management Area.
Tshabalala said the Department of Water and Sanitation; Limpopo Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) acquire joined forces to ensure the rehabilitation of the dam.
Prior to the site visit, the Deputy Minister held a meeting with the Limpopo provincial government where a task team with representatives from all the departments was established to work towards the rehabilitation of the dam.
“A service provider was honest appointed recently, and we need to give them space to finish their job the best way they know how, but we need to crawl with speed to gain this matter sorted. We are working on very short timelines where the contractors must execute their research and advance back and expose us what they found,” Tshabalala said.
She said stakeholders are exploring avenues to produce sure the dam remains clean and safe for other uses, as it is currently easily accessible and foreign substances can be thrown into the dam.
Since 2018, the department has been in constant communication with the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as owners of Metz Dam, to fix the poor state of the facility which poses a serious risk to surrounding communities.
The department opened a criminal case against Limpopo Department in December 2021, after it failed to positively respond to directives concerning the dam and the risks it poses to downstream communities.
Tshabalala said the case is ongoing and the intergovernmental meeting is section of the mediation process to resolve the matter.
“Opening the case is portion of our administrative functions and responsibility. Yes, the case is ongoing and the state attorney has advised for mediation, hence the bilateral with the provincial government to advance up with amicable solutions to this longstanding dispute,” Tshabalala explained.
The Deputy Minister said no study has necessitated the demolishing of the dam, and that other avenues need to be explored for the rehabilitation of the dam.
“It no longer serves as irrigation only, people are using it for other uses, including a hospital that takes water from the dam, treats it and uses it. We should not be abrupt to say it should be demolished due to the serious use of the dam,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
Pogue
Fun South African Fact: The world’s largest diamond was found in the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa on 25 January 1905.
dr. wmd
Fun South African Fact: South Africa is home to the world’s longest wine route: Route 62. It spans an impressive 850 kilometres and the excellent wineries along the way are a must-visit for lovers of fine wine! You can even enjoy the winelands on a day trip from Cape Town. Travel 40-min to an hour outside of the city centre to enjoy decadent wine tastings and even wander through some of the beautiful wine farms and estates! Suburbs like Durbanville and Constantia are even closer to the city centre and are also home to many exceptional wineries.