Clanwilliam Dam Project Has Limped Along And Is Now Ten Years Behind Schedule

A mega construction project to raise the Clanwilliam Dam walls by 13 metres has been delayed for years due to various challenges, including procurement and funding issues.

It was originally scheduled to finish in 2018, but the current delivery date is May 2028. The cost of building the dam has risen from an initial R2.2-billion to R5.6-billion.

The Clanwilliam Dam, located on the Olifants River, was originally built in 1935 and the dam wall was last raised in the 1960s.

The initial feasibility study to raise the Clanwilliam Dam wall was finalised in 2008.