benoni dam

Technicians are repairing damage to the dam wall at Benoni Lake. Image credit: Twitter/East Rand Traffic

Benoni Dam update: Roads closed and emergency repair fund established

The situation is being monitored.

benoni dam

Technicians are repairing damage to the dam wall at Benoni Lake. Image credit: Twitter/East Rand Traffic

Technicians are repairing the damage at Benoni Lake, and the city of Ekhuruleni established an emergency fund as the repairs could be extensive and expensive.

To facilitate repairs to the retainer wall, Bunyan Street and Tom Jones Road has been closed and may remain closed for the remainder of the weekend, Ekurhuleni Disaster Emergency Management Services spokesperson, William Ntladi, told Kempton Express. He added:

“At present, we are reducing the water levels in the dam, as per instructions of the engineers in order to reduce the water pressure. The water is being channeled via the water-relaying system from emergency services. The water-relaying system is very powerful and has high volumes of water flowing through.”

He confirmed that officials are on standby and monitoring the situation, and will act quickly “should there be an overflow.” The slab, as well as the structure of the dam, are being evaluated to determine the best course of action. Water is being pumped from Middle Lake to drop the water level for the “engineers to start assessing.”

The team – a multi-departmental operation consisting of DEMS, EMPD, Ekhuruleni Water and engineers – have met every day this week to “discuss [their] findings,” and monitor the dam’s daily reports.

The Benoni Dam walls were compromised earlier this week when the concrete slabs caved due to a suspected water pressure increase. At the time, a team of engineers from the City of Ekhuruleni and Rand Water assessed the damage and pumped water out.