TZANEEN – The September deadline for the completion of the Tzaneen Dam wall-raising project has been missed, with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) now pushing the completion date to December 2027.

The project, which was previously expected to be completed by September 3, has been delayed by the prolonged rainy season and setbacks in securing tower crane services. Completion is now at 66%.

DWS spokesperson Wisane Mavasa confirmed on Tuesday that the September deadline was no longer achievable.

“The September deadline is no longer on track. The revised completion date, which has been approved by the engineer, is December 2027 due to the prolonged rain season,” said Mavasa.

The Tzaneen Dam wall project involves raising the existing wall by three metres, increasing the dam’s storage capacity from 157.3 million cubic metres to approximately 193 million cubic metres. The additional capacity is expected to improve water security for households, businesses, farmers and future developments in Tzaneen and surrounding areas.

Rain and procurement delays

According to Mavasa, the dam spillway overflowed from December 2025 until June 2026, preventing construction activities from continuing in the area.

“Even after the spillway stopped overflowing, the contractor could not access the spillway due to the unavailability of tower crane services resultant of procurement delays,” she said.

The tower crane services are procured by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), which is acting as the implementing agent on behalf of DWS.

Mavasa said the previous tower crane service provider’s contract had lapsed because of the impact of the excessive rains, forcing DBSA to begin a new procurement process.

“The procurement is done by the implementing agent (DBSA) on behalf of the department and due to the excessive rains, the contract of the tower crane service provider lapsed, and a new process had to be embarked upon,” she said. The new service provider is expected to start work in mid-September.

Project progress

In July, the project was reported to be 65% physically complete, up from 46% in June 2025. At the time, the revised September 3 completion date was presented as the latest target after earlier delays had already pushed the project beyond its original schedule.

The project was initially expected to be completed in March 2026, but construction delays resulted in the deadline being revised.

Greater Tzaneen Municipality Mayor Odas Ngobeni previously described the three-metre wall extension as a strategic investment in the region’s long-term water security.