Minister blasts people who build along riverbanks as Vaal River swells

The department of water & sanitation says it is closely monitoring the situation at the Vaal Dam after heavy rainfall led to increased inflows into the dam.

Minister Pemmy Majodina said there was ongoing communication with provincial authorities to provide updates as the situation evolves. Residents, particularly those living near the river’s banks, have been urged to evacuate and remain vigilant as the department is uncertain whether more of the dam’s sluice gates will need to be opened.

She said repeated government warnings for residents to move away from flood-prone areas have gone unheeded. 

Speaking from the R549 bridge over the Vaal River on Wednesday – directly opposite the Vaal Dam  – Majodina said while disaster steering committees are active and municipalities are on high alert, residents must take personal responsibility and avoid building homes along the riverbanks in future.

This follows an evacuation advisory issued on Sunday after the department opened a fifth sluice gate at the dam, in response to heavy rainfall and rising water levels.

“We want to make it clear and give a strong caution to people who are encroaching on the flood line ... [because] they are going to be drowned. They are going to be washed away. And they know this [failing to evacuate] is against the law. We now require them to move away from the flood line,” Majodina said.

While the dam’s current level sat at 113%, five of the 63 sluice gates had been opened to manage the overflow, releasing 800,000 litres every two seconds.

“We are releasing just to ensure that the dam is not overflowing. There is no crisis in terms of water resources or the bulk water supply. But the danger lies with people living too close to these rivers,” she said. 

“It’s not only about moving away now. They were not supposed to have built those houses where they are. Every time, the department and the government get blamed for people who voluntarily become a risk to themselves,” she said. 

Majodina said municipalities had previously warned residents not to build near the river, but many had ignored the warnings.

“There are standards and norms. This dam has a capacity of up to 126%. So you can’t just wake up and open. You wait to a particular level before you can open. That is why we are now releasing water. We have more than 63 sluice gates here. We have just opened five. And we are finding that today we are not opening anything because we think the level of water is fine and it’s not dangerous,” she said. 

Majodina urged churches to suspend baptism rituals in the Vaal River and other rivers during this period of heavy rainfall.

Echoing Majodina’s call for vigilance, Rand Water CEO Sipho Mosai reminded residents in the affected areas that the Vaal Dam is not the only water body that could lead to local flood risks. 

“There are other river systems feeding into the Vaal Barrage catchment. So, watching only the Vaal Dam is dangerous. Even if it looks safe, turbulence from other rivers can quickly overwhelm communities. These things can happen overnight. Please, listen to your local community structures and evacuate when told to,” Mosai said. 

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