Question NW2641 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation

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01 October 2018 - NW2641

Profile picture: Van Der Walt, Ms D

Van Der Walt, Ms D to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation

With regard to the plan of his department to build the Nwamitwa Dam downstream of the confluence of the Greater Letaba and Nwanedzi Rivers, (a) on what date was the dam planned, (b) what will be the height of the dam wall, (c) what will be the capacity of water, in cubic metres, to be stored, (d) on what date will the project (i) start and (ii) be completed, (e) what will be the total cost for the project, (f) what is the total number of jobs that will be created through the project, (g) for what period has the project been delayed and (h) what are the reasons for the delay of the specified project?

Reply:

(a) The first major study undertaken for this area was the Letaba River Basin Study in 1985 (DWAF,1990), which comprised the collection and analysis of all available data on water availability and use, as well as estimates of future water requirements and assessments of potential future water resource developments. This was followed by a Pre-feasibility Study (DWAF, 1994), which was completed in 1994. The focus of the Pre-feasibility Study was the complete updating of the hydrology of the Basin. The next study undertaken was a Feasibility Study of the Development and Management Options (DWAF, 1998), which was completed in 1998.

(b) The Dam Height (Above river bed) 34 m and 43.5 m (Above estimated lowest foundation).

(c) It is envisaged that a dam at the Nwamitwa site would have a storage capacity of 187 million m3 and will increase the firm yield from the river system for domestic use by 14 million m3 per annum.

(d)(i) We plan to appoint the Contractors for the roads and advanced works in March 2020 and the appointment of the Contractor for the Construction of Dam in March 2022. This is purely subject to the availability of funding and finalisation of certain land matters.

(d)(ii) The estimated project completion date is in 2026.

(e) Current Estimated cost of the project is R4 650 000 000.

(f) Total jobs to be created will be determined on finalisation of the procurement strategy on the project.

(g) The project has been delayed by five (5) years.

(h) Insufficient funding for project implementation.

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