President Jacob Zuma on Monday officially opened the 347-million cubic metre De Hoop dam, in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, which would supply potable water to people in the province while also serving the mining industry along the platinum belt.

The R3.5-billion dam, on which construction began in 2007, was built as part of Phase 2 of the Olifants River Water Resources Development Project, which formed part of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission's strategic infrastructure projects aimed at fast-tracking development and growth across the country, creating jobs and aiding basic service delivery.

“Infrastructure is changing the lives of our people positively and in a most meaningful way, like this dam that we are opening today,” Zuma said at the opening.

He pointed out that Sekhukhune was excluded from access to basic services such as water under the apartheid regime, adding that, coupled with the area being naturally water stressed, government had identified the need for serious investment in the region.

“When we talk about this area being water stressed, we are talking about unacceptable [conditions] such [as those] of the people of GaMashabela near Jane Furse who struggle to access clean drinking water.

“People still have to walk through thick and thorny bushes to reach the wells of [the] Ntsoaneng GaKgari mountains to access fresh water, while some of the residents still rely on borehole water, which is insufficient to meet the demand of these communities,” Zuma said.

He added that, as the dam was being opened, a pipeline to carry water from Jane Furse to Lobethal, covering the villages of Ga-Mashabela, Diphagane, Ga-Phahla, Ga-Marishane, Tisane and Mamone, was 70% complete, while another pipeline from Mooihoek to Tubatse was 100% complete and only awaited an offtake agreement.

This pipeline would provide water to the villages of Mandagshoek, Mashabela, Ntsoaneng, Driekop and River Cross.

“The bulk distribution system connected to the dam will ensure that over time, all the people of this area will be served with an uninterrupted water supply, which is the ultimate goal of government,” Zuma said.