“Where is the maintenance that was promised?” asked Councillor Kim Fourie of Ward 33, following her site visit to Klipfontein Dam recently.
Fourie visited the dam on March 7.

According to Fourie, despite the mayor’s public notice on October 31 last year, announcing a temporary closure for restoration, the dam remains neglected. Grass has not been cut, ablution facilities are vandalised, and algae continues to spread across the water, posing a serious environmental and public health risk.

Fourie has formally invoked Rule 51(1) of the Standing Rules of Order, demanding clarity from the municipal manager on when maintenance will begin, how the dam will be restored, and when the vandalised female ablution facilities will be repaired.

“The community deserves answers and action, not empty promises,” she said.

The DA in eMalahleni has been raising concerns about Klipfontein Dam for a while, repeatedly reporting pollution and neglect.
In October 2025, raw sewage overflowed into the dam, which was reported to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

The department responded immediately with an inspection and resolved the spillage.
Yet, the municipality’s own commitments have not materialised.

The DA said that the closure notice was a reactive measure after DWS intervened, rather than a genuine plan for restoration.
For four years, reports of pollution have gone unanswered, and the once-popular recreational site has deteriorated into a hazard, and illegal dumping has worsened the situation.

With Emalahleni’s history of lawsuits over water pollution, the DA insists that transparency and accountability are critical.

READ MORE :Klipfontein Dam: A lost treasure in ruins

Klipfontein Dam, once a popular spot for families, has been left to ruin. See the shocking state of the dam and join the conversation, share your thoughts and tag a friend who cares about our community
Read more here: https://t.co/OdJvCPEYcF#Emalahleni #Cleanup #Gatvol

— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) February 1, 2025

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