A concerned Vaal River property owner writes:

The power cables to the Deneysville Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) site have been stolen earlier this month, which made it impossible to operate the Vaal Dam’s valves (and the gates for that matter).

Closure of four valves was supposed to take place on Monday, May 9, and so the Rand Water staff at the Barrage started closing to accommodate the lesser flow. DWS then found out about the cable theft, but flow had already been restricted at the Barrage. Hence the higher levels.

This is extremely concerning. Imagine if the eight gates were still open and due to cable theft they could not be closed causing all that water to be lost and the damage down stream, loss of business etc…or the opposite scenario, that the dam level stands at 116% and rising, and the dam’s gates cannot be opened. It could end up in a disaster of titanic proportions!

Surely a national key point such as the Vaal Dam Wall must have a self generating power plant system as back-up.

It will be mind boggling if they do not have one, which I think is impossible (but possible that it is not working due to lack of maintenance).

It is clear that something is not right. Has this ever happened in the history of the Dam Wall?

Perhaps an investigation should be launched and DWS requested to answer some questions.

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