Take a cruise on Driekoppies Dam

SCHOEMANSDAL – Surely, one of the biggest dams in the province but with few entertainment activities, things are about to take a serious turn for this dam stretching from the Kingdom of Eswatini. This, of course, is after local entrepreneur, Themba Mhlongo, introduced a cruise boat intended for holidaymakers and tourists. Mhlongo intends turning this once quiet site into a popular holiday and weekend getaway destination. He has also acquired a piece of land from the Matsamo Tribal Authority, on which he intends building a five-star restaurant and an entertainment centre which will be used to host music sessions. He also plans to build a lodge which will be strategically placed to overlook the dam. “I have bigger plans for this site. I want to turn and make this part of town a major tourist destination. I am hoping that before we can attract foreign or international tourists, we can start making an impact and touch our own local market and promote domestic tourism,” said Mhlongo. ALSO READ: Who will land the R100 000 at Driekoppies Dam? Even though Mhlongo is still waiting for an operating licence, he is already hard at work preparing for his boat business to take off. “Well, we are still waiting for the licence to enable us to officially start operating the boat and receiving clients. To be honest, we are already inundated with calls from local people enquiring and showing huge interest in what we want to do with the cruise boat. It’s just a pity that we have to wait and while we wait, they have no choice but to travel outside the province for such an experience,” continued Mhlongo. He said his new ventures will help create much needed employment opportunities for local people. “We want to train and provide young people with skills and be employed as skippers, life guards, chefs, bar attendants and hostesses,” he assured. Driekoppies Dam used to be a popular venue for music shows and private events such as picnics, braais and weddings, but it has over the past few years escalated to being a white elephant. ALSO READ: 30 boats take to Driekoppies Dam for the R100k Bonanza