Private dam owners given 30-Day extension to register amid safety concerns

Alicia Mashakana

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has approved a 30-day extension for the registration of privately owned dams posing a safety risk to to the public, property and water resources.

The extension, granted through a government gazette notice, allows owners of dams with safety concerns to verify their dam’s parameters in accordance with the National Water Act.

The extension is effective from January 29 to February 28, 2025.

Wally Ramokopa, Head of the Specialist Unit for Dam Safety Regulation at the Department, said that dams eligible for registration must have a vertical wall height of 5 meters and a storage capacity of 50,000 megalitres, capable of storing water or other substances.

“The dams to be registered are those with a vertical wall height of 5 meters and a storage capacity of 50 000 megalitres. Those dams may store water or any other substances,” he said.

Ramokopa urged already