Tzaneen: The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has announced a revised completion date for the raising of Tzaneen Dam Wall project, which was initially scheduled for March 2025. In a statement on Wednesday, the department announced that the new target for the project completion is March 2026.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Tzaneen Dam Wall Raising project, part of the Groot Letaba River Water Augmentation Project (GLeWaP), was resumed on 06 June 2023. The project includes raising the dam wall by 3 metres, significantly increasing the dam’s storage capacity to meet growing water demands and improve water security in the Limpopo Province. Once completed, the additional water supply is expected to benefit households, agricultural and industrial sectors in the region.
The department reports that the project is currently 46% complete. Anthony Bhasopo from the department’s Water Resource Infrastructure Development unit expressed satisfaction with the progress and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to delivering the project within the revised timeframe. While acknowledging some unforeseen incidents that affected progress, Bhasopo stated that strides have been made since the project’s beginning in 2023.
The construction project includes the demolition of the upper section of the existing ogee spillway, construction of a new labyrinth spillway to increase discharge capacity, strengthening of the earthfill embankments for improved dam stability, realignment of the permanent access road downstream of the dam, and additional supporting and safety-related works. Components completed or in progress include temporary fencing around the site, a temporary access road from Deerpark and river diversion pipeline, realignment of the permanent access road (20% complete), embankment strengthening (36% complete), tongue wall construction (19% complete), and labyrinth spillway construction (11% complete).
Bhasopo noted that the project enabled 241 people to be employed, including the main contractor and sub-contractors, with females accounting for 76 and youth for 108. Originally completed in 1977, the Tzaneen Dam features a mass concrete gravity spillway flanked by earthfill embankments. The existing ogee-type spillway, which is 91.44 metres long with a crest level of 723.90 metres above sea level (masl), will be replaced by a more efficient labyrinth spillway. The non-overspill crest currently measures 1,063.5 metres at 730.60 masl, with protective interlocking concrete blocks on both the upstream and downstream embankment faces.