The Maguga Dam Project
Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA)
Social and Environmental Responsibility
A large project with multiple components and objectives has the potential to cause a major disruption to the social and environmental landscape. Anticipating and obviating or reducing such negative impacts is an important part of the project management at Maguga.
A Feasibility Stage Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out by Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners in 1992 and forms the basis of all environmental considerations within the project. The report that was produced ensures that measures aimed at monitoring and controlling the impact of the development on the environment are addressed.
Within the reservoir area of Maguga Dam a number of homesteads along with cultivated and grazing land will be inundated once the reservoir starts to fill. This will require that these people be moved as well as their ancestral graves and livestock.
It is a prime requirement of the policy agreed between Swaziland and South Africa that people adversely affected by the project should be compensated, including resettlement where necessary, in such a manner that the affected communities are better off than they were before.
The Treaty sets out the basis on which KOBWA can operate. The responsibility of each Party includes the provision free of third party interest of all land required for the construction, operation and maintenance of the dam, appurtenant works (measuring weirs, access roads, etc.) and reservoir. This make the Swaziland Government responsible for relocation and compensation of all parties affected by the construction, operation and maintenance of the development, more properly defined as the socio-economic environmental issues.
A full bio-physical Environmental Impact Assessment and Comprehensive Mitigation Plan have been carried out for the Maguga Dam basin and its environs as per the legal requirement of the Swaziland Environment Authority.
Apart for the Dam basin area, EIA's for all components of the project have also been carried out or are still being drafted (as is the case for the resettlement planning).
In order to mitigate some of the impacts expected from such a large project, the findings or the EIA's were incorporated into planning and design of all project components.
Monitoring programmes are being carried out to ensure that the relocation, compensation and mitigation programmes are effective.
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
The Piggs Peak Bulk Water Supply