STANDERTON – A potentially fatal incident on the evening of December 29 ended in a successful rescue after a motorboat carrying four men stalled at the very edge of the Grootdraai Dam wall.

The men from Kinross, Scottburgh, Potchefstroom, and Standerton were stranded after their ski boat reportedly suffered mechanical failure and drifted toward the dam wall. Dangerous currents and the boat’s risky position made an immediate rescue impossible.

Emergency teams from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), SAPS, NSRI, Mpumalanga Fire and Rescue, Delta 1 Search and Rescue, and several other agencies responded.

DWS opened three sluice gates to manage the water flow, while teams monitored downstream areas for potential risks.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon described the rescue as “magnificent,” highlighting the extreme danger faced by the men who clung to their boat with all personal belongings still on board. NSRI crew, including station commander Travis Clack, Francois du Randt, and Jacqueline Enslin, approached with extreme caution.

A throw line was successfully passed, and the men were pulled about 60m to safety. The operation concluded at 22:09, with all four men unharmed. The boat remains stuck on the dam wall.

Authorities praised the coordinated response, calling it a clear example of teamwork and decisive action under extreme conditions.

*This incident echoes a similar rescue in 2022 at the Vaal Dam, when a Johannesburg man was saved after nearly going over sluice gates in a ski boat, underscoring the persistent dangers of recreational boating in South Africa’s large dams.