Klipfontein Dam is one of Vryheid’s many tourist attractions but has been left in a shambles. Klipfontein Dam used to be Vryheid’s pride and joy, especially for fishing events and water sport. A tourist attraction, the Zulu Cultural Village (ZCV), was even built at the dam by the municipality. The R1.6-million ZCV has been a white elephant ever since, with no maintenance and swallowed up by tall grass. A few years ago, this so-called tourist attraction was severely damaged in a veld fire. The village is only one part of Klipfontein Dam that could’ve been a cash cow for the municipality.
Picnic spots and ablution facilities at the dam are non-existent. The area where fishermen and their families are supposed to spend quality time is unkempt, with a manhole gaping underneath the tall grass and without any kind of cover. This poses a danger to anyone walking through the grass, since the manhole is not clearly visible. The toilets are cracked, pipes have been stolen, windows are broken, and the doors to the ablution facilities have been broken off and are lying inside. The local tourism office says that Klipfontein Dam is well positioned on the main access road to town from Durban, Ulundi, Richards Bay, etc. It is closer to eco-tourism and cultural developments, with Mpofini Game Reserve across the road. There is also Inkamana Abbey, which tourists visit as a spiritual retreat; and the school is active when it comes to cultural and musical events. “At present, the state of the dam is very bad. The huts were vandalised and there are no ablution facilities. Klipfontein Dam needs to be considered for a revamp,” says the local tourism officer. She continued to say that: “Klipfontein Dam’s cultural village was built to create job opportunities for our local artists, so they could display their work, sell traditional food and beadwork, and teach tourists about traditional life, mock fighting, weapons manufacturing and horse trails, etc.”
Residents are outraged by the current condition of the picnic and fishing area. One resident says it’s a disgrace that a local tourist attraction looks like this. Another person said he went to the dam to fish and surprisingly found a group of young rugby players trying to fish during their time off from their recent rugby week. “I felt ashamed and outraged that these boys had to visit our local dam and fishing spot. It’s neglected and there are no toilets for them to use.”
Questions beg to be answered… Why is there no maintenance at Klipfontein Dam, as well as no security at the gate to prevent vandals from destroying one of Vryheid’s assets? Who is responsible for the maintenance at the dam? The Vryheid Herald gave the municipality ample time to respond, but at the time of going to print, no response had been received.
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