By Themba Zwane
MBABANE – South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has assured Eswatini that it is not at risk from a potentially failing dam spillway in Mpumalanga Province.
The department has issued an urgent warning that Senteeko Dam, also known as My Own Dam, is at serious risk of imminent failure following severe structural deterioration.
According to The Citizen, the warning comes after assessments revealed damage that could lead to an uncontrolled release of water into downstream areas.
The dam is located within the Die Kaap River catchment in Mpumalanga and is owned by the Shamile Communal Property Association. It is primarily used for irrigation purposes.
An emergency safety assessment conducted by the department’s Dam Safety Office found extensive damage to the infrastructure.
“The dam’s spillway structure has suffered severe and irreversible deterioration, including advanced erosion and undercutting that has resulted in structural instability,” the department said on Friday.
As a precaution, the department has instructed all individuals living or operating downstream of the dam to evacuate flood-prone areas immediately.
“An uncontrolled release of water is likely and poses an immediate and serious threat to downstream communities, infrastructure, and the environment,” said department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.
However, Mavasa assured that neighbouring countries would not be affected should the dam fail.
“Both the Republic of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini will not be affected, as the distance from the dam’s spillway to the nearest border exceeds 160 kilometres,” she said.
The department has urged the public to share verified information responsibly as the situation continues to develop, noting that emergency teams remain on high alert.
Residents and businesses in downstream areas have been advised to comply fully with all directives issued by disaster management authorities and emergency services.
Public access to the dam site has been strictly prohibited while authorities work to reduce the risk.
Mavasa emphasised that the emergency interventions currently in place are temporary and do not completely eliminate the possibility of partial or full dam failure.
The department confirmed it is coordinating response actions with relevant authorities and will issue further updates as necessary, stressing that the protection of human life remains its highest priority.
Authorities have also deployed an excavator to widen an emergency side-channel spillway to further lower water levels.
“Excavations have been completed and a side-channel spillway created to release water and reduce pressure on the dam wall,” Mavasa explained.
She added that, as of Saturday, the situation at Senteeko Dam remained unchanged despite these interventions.
