Jozini Dam is set to be opened, and officials have asked that residents of the area be alert for safety reasons.
The dam had reached its capacity following a heavy downpour, according to officials, and the water level has to be released to about 85 percent of its original capacity to ensure the safety of people living around the area. However, this is not the first time the dam’s capacity has had to be reduced. It had been done previously, in 2014.
The Jozini Dam, which is also known simply as Pongolapoort, is located in northern KwaZulu-Natal and spans 451 miles.
According to Sputnik Ratau of the Department of Water, the communities downstream need to be vigilant. They must be cautious about the possibility of the Pongolo River rising in their area. The receiving of water from the dam will continue until December 13.
This is a critical period, hence the call for vigilance among people living nearby. Amid all this, it is still important, according to safety officials, not to panic unnecessarily, as more damage might be done from panic than from anything else.
It remains to be seen how well the plan to release water from Jozini Dam will go. Stay tuned if you please.
