Parliament is concerned about the apparent lack of capacity of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s dam safety and management division which threatens the safety of communities living downstream of dams.
The department has a backlog of 474 dam safety evaluations reports, which according to parliament’s portfolio committee on water and sanitation, implied that the government is not informed about the safety conditions at these dams.
Committee chairperson Robert Mashego said the backlog in dam reports also means that the department is unable to recommend interventions or conduct inspections to monitor compliance with recommendations.
“The concern the committee has is that without clearing the backlog, the department cannot assure South Africans that dams within their vicinity are safe,” Mashego said
His comments came in the wake of the Jagersfontein incident during which dozens of families were displaced following a dam burst in September. The Free State government has since promised to build 160 houses for affected families.
Mashego said the committee is also concerned by the non-compliance with regulations requiring both government and private owners to carry out dam safety evaluations.
“It is particularly concerning that municipalities are not complying with these regulations. The committee emphasised the need for the department to intensify enforcement action, including administrative, civil and criminal enforcement to ensure compliance.
“The committee welcomes the collaboration between the department and the National Prosecuting Authority, which will increase the capacity of prosecutors to ensure successful convictions,” Mashego said.
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