Water & Sanitation issues warning as 10 Vaal Dam sluice gates open

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that some residents living along the Vaal River may have to be evacuated due to dangerously overflowing water levels.

From Friday, ten sluice gates at the Vaal Dam were opened after water levels at both the Vaal and Bloemhof dams rose to over 100% capacity.

This follows days of heavy rain, with parts of Gauteng experiencing localised flooding throughout the week.

Department Spokesperson Wisane Mavasa confirmed the scale of the water releases.

"At the Bloemhof Dam, we have increased releases by another 100 cubic metres per second to 1,300 cubic metres per second of water being released. The Vaal Dam is currently releasing about 1,500 cubic metres per second with the ten gates."