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Tensions rise as Vaal Dam hits 118% and opens 10th sluice gate
The opening of a 10th sluice gate at the Vaal Dam has sparked fear and frustration among residents living near the flood-prone area, while some local businesses see the rising water as a welcome boost. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) made the move after the dam surged past its capacity to 118.48%, driven by days of heavy rainfall.
By Friday, six gates were already open, but escalating water levels forced officials to open four more to manage the overflow. The sudden increase has triggered evacuations in low-lying areas and ignited a debate about the timing and handling of the dam’s sluice gate operations.
‘Authorities mismanaged the dam gates’
Dozens of residents gathered at the bridge near the Vaal Dam on Friday to watch as the 10th gate opened at 1pm, many of them voicing anger over how the situation had been handled.
Local resident Shawn Herbst said closing the gates earlier had been a serious misstep that led to unnecessary flooding. “The biggest mistake they made [was] closing them. Now they’ve got to open up double the number of gates because of their mistake,” he said.
According to Herbst, areas had already suffered floods when only five gates were open two weeks ago. “Now they’ve got ten. You can imagine the damage,” he said, calling the situation “a disaster.”
Another resident, Peter Rex, pointed out that those living downstream face greater danger than those near the dam itself. “They did anticipate rain, but they still closed the sluice gates. Now we’ve got flooding, and the water is about 50 metres from our houses,” he said.
He added, “The Department of Water and Sanitation should’ve been more cautious. Closing all the gates was a mistake.”
Rex said while his home wasn’t in immediate danger, other communities along the river had already begun losing homes and businesses. “Where we are, we don’t need to evacuate yet. But for others, it’s bad. They’re losing everything,” he said.
Business booms for riverside pub
Despite the damage, some residents found an upside. Phillip Sofianos, who owns the Riverview Pub and Grab, said the rising water levels had brought curious visitors and boosted his business.
“It’s good for business,” Sofianos said. “People come to see the river and what’s going on. They’re inquisitive.”
Having operated in the area for over two decades, he recalled worse flooding in 2011 when 18 sluice gates were opened. “The water reached my driveway then,” he said. “This isn’t the worst I’ve seen.”
He noted that his pub is built on the flood line, offering some protection from water damage.
Dam data shows fast-changing water levels
According to hydrological reports, the Vaal Dam is experiencing heavy inflow at 2,448.2 cubic metres per second (m³/s) and releasing 1,113.0 m³/s. Just the day before, the level stood at 111.64% with significantly lower outflow.
The nearby Vaal Barrage saw a drop to 6.4 metres with an outflow of 1,863.1 m³/s and a recorded water temperature of 15.5°C.
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Sourced:The Citizen
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