Staff Reporter.
Minister of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Senzo Mchunu, says he is pleased that all protocols and operational procedure were followed when the sluice gates were opened at the Vaal Dam following heavy rains.
More than 300 people were displaced in February when the 12 sluice gates at the Vaal dam were opened to release pressure due to the rising levels brought on by weeks of torrential rains.
Addressing the media outside the Vaal Barrage, Mchunu said the first part of communication took place between the department and Rand Water, noting that the department’s officials manage the Vaal Dam, while Rand Water operates the Barrage.
“All the rules and regulations and operational rules were followed, firstly internally. Beyond that, we had the chairperson of the community who said that all lines of communication were open and he took responsibility and flooded everybody with communication as they were receiving it from Rand Water and DWS,” Mchunu explained.
However, Mchunu wouldn’t be drawn on who should be held liable for the losses suffered by residents.
“At all times we want to do better and improve in our response to natural disasters and we cannot do this alone, we need to work together,” Mchunu said.
He expressed his sympathy to the residents, whose homes and businesses are located in the flood line, and have lost or left with damaged property.
Mchunu first visited the Vaal Dam to check the level of the dam and subsequently closed one sluice gate.
To date, eight sluice gates have been closed; leaving four open as part of dam safety standards and procedures to manage water inflows upstream the Vaal River.
The Minister’s visit to the Vaal Dam was followed by an inspection at the Vaal Barrage and later visited a nearby community that was adversely affected by the floods, where he received feedback from Rand Water and various affected stakeholders, including community members.