The Maguga Dam Project
Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA)
Access Roads
Access roads are a major part of the Maguga Dam projects advanced infrastructure. Two major roads either side of the Komati River meeting at the dam site were needed to enable dam building materials to be brought to site.
The two roads are tar, all weather access roads about 13 km long. The Southern and Northern Access Roads are linked over the dam wall. The reasons for constructing two tar roads were threefold:
Firstly to contribute to the National Roads infrastructure, thus guaranteeing that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport will take over the maintenance of these roads after the Project,
Secondly to speed access to the dam for deliveries of materials: materials from Swaziland (Matsapha, Mbabane and Manzini) and Gauteng would come through the Southern Access Road while materials from Mpumalanga would come through the Northern Access Road.
Thirdly, due to the fact that the Piggs Peak area is a high rainfall zone resulting in slippery roads when wet, tarred roads were essential for access to the dam site during dam construction, especially for heavy trucks during the rainy season.
The project to construct the Access Roads was awarded to Wilson Bayly Holmes Overkon (WBHO) for a contract amount of E49 543 796.
The access roads have additional benefits to the Maguga Dam communities and the nation at large. The access roads will link up communities of the Maguga Dam area who were previously separated by the Komati River. The roads have also improved access by these communities to clinics, schools and shops, particularly those in Piggs Peak. It is believed that the access roads will also facilitate a growing tourist industry with tourists and visitors using the roads to access the dam.
Besides the technical problems of slippage caused by the geology of the area, there were a number of other problems encountered during construction including the relocation of homesteads to make way for the roads, some homesteads were affected by blasting and impact roller damage, wash off from the roads contaminated local water sources and silted a lot of homestead fields. These problems are being addressed both by the Project and the affected people.
Further Details
Further details of the project can be obtained from:
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The Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA)
Suite 1010 The Pinnacle
1 Parkin Street
PO Box 5085
Nelspruit 1200
Republic of South Africa
Tel +27 1311 23 191
Fax +27 1311 24 704
Email kobwanpt@cis.co.za
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The Swaziland Komati Project Enterprise (SKPE)
4th Floor Dhlan'ubeka House
Cnr. Tin & Walker Streets
Mbabane
Swaziland
Tel +268 404 7950
Fax +268 404 7954
Email: komatpcu@realnet.co.sz Website: www.ecs.co.sz/komati/ |
The information provided above does NOT in any way represent the OFFICIAL opinion or views of KOBWA or the Swaziland Government about the Maguga Dam Project
This page was last updated on 05 November 2001
Social and Environmental Responsibility
The Components of the Development
Access Roads
The Piggs Peak Bulk Water Supply