Dams

Photo (for reference purpose only) via Pexels

Government clamps down on illegal dams, Eastern Cape farmer fined R1‚5 million

Alastair Rudman‚ the farm owner in question, plans to appeal the court judgement.

Dams

Photo (for reference purpose only) via Pexels

The Department of Water and Sanitation is on the warpath; clamping down on farmers and landowners who have illegally built dams.

This is according to a report by The Herald, which cites the case of an Eastern Cape farmer who was recently fined R1‚5 million for the illegal construction of a damn on his Cockscomb property.

Alastair Rudman‚ the farm owner in question, plans to appeal the court judgement, yet neighbours have praised the verdict, saying that the dam was a safety hazard due to its leaks.

A thousand illegal dams in the Eastern Cape alone

But it’s not just Rudman who has come under fire for his dam; according to the department, 1 000 illegal dams syphoning water from the Kouga River and its network of tributaries in the Eastern Cape are currently being investigated. Other farmers in the area have been warned of repercussions similar to that of Rudman’s.

The department has unequivocally stated that the redirection of water flowing from the Kouga River will not be tolerated and is, in fact, unlawful.

Rudman’s leaky dam was identified as illegally hoarding water gathered from the Kariega River, which rises 24 kilometres west of Grahamstown. The problematic dam, which measured 350m by 80m, only allowed the river’s water to flow once it reached the dam’s overflow point.

The court was provided with video evidence of the dam’s extensive leaks, which stemmed from the base of the concrete structure. It also revealed large cracks in the concrete spillway and the road.

Rudman’s farm, Welgevonden, located east of Steytlerville, came under scrutiny from the provincial environmental affairs department earlier in the year. This was part of the department’s greater probe into illegal water projects in the province.

Illegal dams not limited to the Eastern Cape

According to a report published by IOL earlier in the year, the issue of illegal water projects is not limited to the Eastern Cape. Department of Water and Sanitation provincial head Rashid Khan issued a warning to Western Cape residents during the height of the region’s water crisis. Speaking on the issue of farmers illegally syphoning off water from the Voëlvlei , Berg River and Misverstand Dam, he said:

“Anyone found sourcing from the released water illegally will be prosecuted. The farmers were given written communication that they must cease sourcing from the river, and law enforcement officials have been empowered to confiscate equipment, take down obstructions and remove pipes.”