AfriForum will go ahead with their project to make selected dams in the Western Cape deeper and bigger as soon as the organisation gets the green light from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
The civil rights watchdog already procured earth moving equipment specialists and contractors to help with this project and hopes to start soon. The Western Cape Provincial Government also indicated that they want to form part of the project and inter alia supply the necessary equipment for the project where possible.
Various requests have been submitted to the Department.
“The organisation wants to act proactively with this project so that it will be possible in future to store more water in dams by increasing water availability that can bring relief in dry times,” says Chris Boshoff, Environmental Affairs Coordinator for AfriForum.
Boshoff adds that mainly smaller dams, that currently have less water capacity, will be focused on.
“The continued drought creates a unique opportunity for AfriForum to intervene through do-it-yourself initiatives to make a substantial difference in cooperation with the community and the Provincial Government. We hope that the DWS will get on board soon,” says Marcus Pawson, Head of Environmental Affairs at AfriForum.
Pawson adds that about 80% of the DWS’s budget for 2017/2018 is reserved for the upgrade of water infrastructure.
“AfriForum requests that enlarging and deepening of dams form part of this budget.”