EASTERN CAPE – Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina recently conducted an oversight visit to the proposed multimillion-rand Foxwood Dam project in Adelaide in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality area.
Majodina was accompanied by Amathole District Municipality Executive Mayor Anele Ntsangani, Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality Mayor Nomhle Sango and Amatola Water Board management as she assessed the progress and readiness of the Foxwood Dam project.
Majodina’s visit to Raymond Mhlaba comes amid persistent water shortage challenges facing the municipality and the other five local municipalities under the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) jurisdiction.
Earlier this month, Executive Mayor Ntsangani handed over water tanks to several villages in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality area as persistent water shortages continue to frustrate affected rural communities.
Ntsangani told residents that the handover of water tanks formed part of the ADM’s measures to address water supply challenges in the area.
The official handover started at Nondyolo village in Maqoma and proceeded to Khulile Community Hall in Debe Nek on Friday, 2 October.
Majodina’s oversight visit to the proposed Foxwood Dam project site on the banks of the Koonap River in Adelaide included a technical briefing on the project and its planned development proposals.
The visit provided an opportunity for Majodina, ADM leadership and Amatola Water Board officials to assess progress on the Foxwood Dam project, engage on water infrastructure development and strengthen collaboration between national and local government in addressing water and sanitation challenges within the Amathole District.
Speaking during the visit, Majodina emphasised the importance of advancing strategic water infrastructure projects such as the Foxwood Dam to strengthen water security and support socio-economic development in the region.
“Projects such as the Foxwood Dam are important in strengthening water security, supporting agricultural development and ensuring that water resources are managed sustainably. As government, we must continue working together to ensure that strategic water infrastructure is developed while addressing the immediate water needs of our communities,” said Majodina.
The proposed Foxwood Dam project has a planned storage capacity of 54.9 million cubic metres, a planned dam wall length of 485 metres and an irrigation scheme covering approximately 1,250 hectares.
According to the ADM’s preliminary Foxwood Dam projections and timelines, the detailed design phase is scheduled to run from September to September 2028, followed by contract procurement from September 2028 to January 2029. Construction is provisionally scheduled to commence in January 2029 and conclude in June 2031, although the timelines remain subject to change.
The dam project is expected to contribute to improved water security while supporting irrigation, citrus production and domestic water supply in the area.
Ntsangani welcomed the potential of the project to support agricultural production and strengthen water supply in the region.
Raymond Mhlaba Mayor Nomhle Sango welcomed the progress on the Foxwood Dam project, noting that communities in the area had been waiting for the development for a long time.
“We have been waiting for the construction of this dam for a long time, and the people of this area will be delighted to see this project becoming a reality.
“I can assure the community that the project has started, and we look forward to seeing it through to completion. Our communities will be happy to know that the long-awaited project is finally moving forward,” concluded Sango.
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