Ntshingwayo (Chelmsford) Dam has been generating significant concerns over the past while. This has been due to the dam’s sluice gate breaking and repairs taking far too long, especially when considering the importance of Chelmsford dam in the region.
Newcastillian News initially reported on the broken sluice gate back in January 2022, where it was explained that the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) was in the process of having it repaired.
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With repairs still not happening and due to the Ntshingwayo Dam providing multiple communities with water, from Newcastle to Utrecht, the importance of the repair work was pivotal.
Despite assurances from the DWS that it was resolving the problem, in July 2022, local farmers explained that the broken sluice gate posed a serious threat to both the farming community and residents at large.
This resulted in the farmers taking it upon themselves to employ an engineer to ascertain and establish the financial costs of the repair work, to assist the DWS.
However, the DWS explained that the farmers would not be able to assist due to the department being solely responsible for the maintenance of the dam in accordance with the Dam Safety Regulations.
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However, with the DWS assuring they were handling the matter, in January 2023, the repair work was found to be nowhere near complete.
Following up, Newcastillian News chatted with the spokesperson for the DWS, Mavasa Wisane, who explained, “Due to the complexity of the work, the Department is still finalising the scope of work for the appointment of the contractors.”
She added that the provisional programme received by the Department indicated a duration of seven months. It was, therefore, anticipated that the work would be completed within seven months upon the appointment of the contractor.
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With concerns growing around water security, local farmers met with AfriForum’s District Coordinator for KwaZulu-Natal, Eugene van Aswegen.
The purpose of the meeting was to acquire support from the civil rights organisation, establish a working relationship with the government, and see how the farmers could assist in repairing the broken sluice gate.
With the farmers explaining the risk of a potential water crisis to van Aswegen, he urged them and the local AfriForum, to collect all the necessary information pertaining to Ntshingwayo Dam, for AfriForum to approach the necessary officials.
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With the farming community taking the first steps in establishing a working relationship with the necessary officials, a sliver of hope was shed on Tuesday, 7 March 2023.
As a result, various local farmers met with Peet Liebenberg of the Newcastle AfriForum branch, where it was highlighted that the DWS had officially begun the repair work to the sluice gate.
In a letter from the DWS, seen by Newcastillian News, it was confirmed that the design for the new sluice gate had been awarded to a contractor and was nearly complete.
Furthermore, in the letter from the DWS, dated 20 February 2023, it was highlighted that once the design for the new sluice gate had been received and approved, the manufacturing and installation of the gate was expected to be completed within the next six to 12 months.
With an end now officially in sight, one farmer explained that approximately 20 farms rely on the Ntshingwayo Dam. “Most of us are irrigation farmers and rely heavily on the dam because of this. But on top of this, each farm employs 30 to 35 employees, which means that if there is a water crisis and we have to close down, approximately 750 people will lose their jobs.”
On top of this, while about 750 families would face severe financial difficulties by losing their income, multiple communities would face water restrictions if the problem persisted. Therefore, it was imperative that the DWS ensured the sluice gate was repaired within the set timeframes.
With progression on the cards, AfriForum said that it would be submitting information to the DWS highlighting how much its work meant to both Newcastle and its neighbouring communities.
The submission is expected to be handed in by the end of March 2023.
With this in mind, Liebenberg said that as the Department now takes steps in resolving the issue, it was imperative for them not to forget the affected communities.
“They need to think about the needs and rights of the communities, and involve the community in their decisions as it will impact them and we all need to be involved together,” he emphasised, stressing that through joining hands the Department and community could ensure a workable future.
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