Repairs being made to the Middle Lake dam wall situated alongside the N12 onramp and Bunyan Street in the Benoni CBD is well underway, according to spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni metro Themba Gadebe.
“The first phase of the repair to the area where the spillway slabs failed is on schedule and the second phase to follow will include the investigation, rehabilitation and construction,” said Gadebe.
“Bunyan and Tom Jones (streets) have been reopened for use a while ago, but a portion of the on-ramp onto the N12 (westbound) cannot as yet be reopened as a safe working space for the fixing operation of the dam wall is essential.
“Traffic can use the onramp though.”
Further to this, after an increased hyacinth build-up on the water in recent months, the municipality brought in the Water Master machine used to remove the weeds.
However, after a fault in the machine, the removal of hyacinth came to a halt.
According to Democratic Alliance ward councillor in Ekurhuleni, Brandon Pretorius, the Water Master arriving in Benoni was a surprise after it left the Brakpan Dam despite the dam being in need of the machine.
“The decision was taken by the higher structures within the environmental department to move the machine to the Benoni Lake to assist with the hyacinth problem there to relieve the dam wall of stress as it recently almost collapsed,” said Pretorius.
“No-one informed me of the removal and more surprisingly no-one at the Brakpan municipality was aware of this.
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“Taking this into consideration, and noting the importance of the immediate attention needed at the Benoni Lake, my concerns are the following:
“The Brakpan Dam has over the past two years not received the proper attention needed by the CoE (City of Ekurhuleni).
“Instead, I estimate that the City has spent more than R2-million on the failed operation at the dam meaning that taxpayers’ money has been wasted.
“The dam has been closed for well over a year and (after) speaking to the HOD of the environmental department it does not seem as if the department has a plan in place to clear the dam.
“So in essence, the Water Master has been removed and until further notice, no hyacinth removal will take place at the (Brakpan) dam.
According to Gadebe, a burst hydraulic seal is the cause for the delay.
“We are currently in the process to procure the seal,” he said.
“Once it has been replaced the Water Master will be ready to start working on the dam.”
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