The Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, says for the first time since 2018, the Vaal Dam is more than 100 percent full and he ensured that there is still about 20 percent capacity in the dam. Ratau further adds that the Vaal Dam on Tuesday morning stands at 101.5 percent as a result of the inflow into the system. 

The river system is deemed to be highly critical as it supplies key entities, amongst others, Eskom and Sasol, says Ratau.

He tells OFM News that the catchment areas for the Vaal Integrated River System has had very good rain and these include Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, Free State, and North West. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project also delivers water to the system. “So those catchments then feed into the rivers that then feed into the system and these are the ones that have had very good rain. Therefore the system is recharging,” adds Ratau.

The Vaal Dam stores water from the Vaal and Wilge Rivers, and supplies water to more than 13 million people in Gauteng, North West, Free State and Mpumalanga provinces.

OFM previously reported that since tropical cyclone Eloise - which was downgraded to tropical storm Eloise - made landfall in South Africa, the country experienced heavy rainfall and with that came spilling dams and flooding in some areas.

Communications Manager of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Larry Crisp, says dam levels in some parts have swelled, much to the relief of some water-stressed areas that were battling with diminishing water levels for months. Crisp further adds that while these dams are spilling, it is truly a sight to behold and many do not often get to experience this as it does not happen often.

OFM News/Blaine Jones