Africa-Press – South-Africa. The construction of the Clanwilliam Dam has hit another snag over property rights, but Infrastructure South Africa says it won’t affect building deadlines. A decade delayed, the raising of the dam wall finally got underway this year, but the Department of Water and Sanitation has recently found itself embroiled in a legal battle with a landowner over occupation of his property. Although crushing activities were temporarily halted, Head of Infrastructure South Africa Mameetse Masemola says the project remains on track. A number of privately owned properties had to be acquired by the state for the expansion of the Clanwilliam Dam. But one landowner whose farm was expropriated remained on the property, continuing to farm and conduct business while matters related to access for construction purposes were still being negotiated. The Western Cape High Court found in his favour, ruling that a crushing plant had been prematurely brought onto a section of the property still in his possession. Masemola said that although crushing activities had to be temporarily halted while the equipment was moved and relocated, around 80% of the contractor’s work had already been completed. Enough construction material had also been stockpiled to ensure the project schedule is not delayed. This R5-billion dam project is one of 78 projects worth more than R460 billion currently under construction, with more awaiting Treasury approval. “We have asked the National Treasury for R20.2 billion in terms of those projects and that has been achieved. The rest of the money will be raised through capital markets through the infrastructure fund,” Masemola said Masemola added that the current phase of the Clanwilliam Dam project is still expected to be concluded by mid-2026, depending on weather conditions. The full dam project is set for completion in 2028.
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