The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Sol Plaatje municipality to ensure that a sustainable intervention is implemented to address the ongoing risks associated with the Tlhageng retention dam in Galeshewe, Kimberley.
Ongoing pressure by the DA secured an oversight inspection to the dam by the Municipal Manager, Thapelo Matlala, and a commitment to institute a subsoil drainage system.
While Sol Plaatje is finally paying attention to the dam, although at the eleventh hour, we are concerned that the intervention is not adequate to prevent a repeat of the 2010 disaster during which the dam burst its banks, causing major devastation to homes, and of further flooding that occurred in 2023.
Sol Plaatje’s proposed intervention aims to intercept water below ground level and redirect it away from residential areas. While this could have an effect, provided all conditions remain constant, this is unlikely.
In addition to unpredictable rainfall, coupled with increased drainage of water and sewage into the dam from as far afield as the R31 lake, the dam is under increasing stress. The natural dam wall is also weakened due to a lack of maintenance.
Residents within close proximity to the dam have inundated the MM with fears that they will again be subjected to flooding. Their fears are not unfounded. Convection Street is impassable due to reef sand that is strewn across the road and in front of their homes, to prevent flooding. Residents of Revelation Street, who live below the dam’s flood plane, worry that the shoddy workmanship of a water channel will fail to alleviate the effects of a flood. Residents of Kagisho are concerned that the foundations of their homes are being weakened due to the consistently damp conditions due to water seepage. The community closest to the legislature is the most vulnerable, as they are located on the embankment with no dam wall to mitigate the impact of a flood.
The situation warrants a broader intervention.
The DA has submitted a request for public participation; the appointment of a consultant with the necessary experience and qualifications; and a high-level investigation into the causes of excessive drainage to the dam, to be followed up with implementable solutions.
The safety and protection of homes and possessions of all affected communities must be prioritized.