Xonxa Dam Saga: A Costly Project With No Water Output in Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape community faces a severe water supply challenge as the Xonxa Dam, despite being 100% full, is unable to deliver water to residents. Built originally in the 1970s and recently upgraded after 12 years and R657-million spent — R187 million over the initial budget — the dam is a stark symbol of infrastructure inefficiency and bureaucratic mismanagement.

SA National Defence Force Engineer soldiers carry on with water purification at Xonxa Dam in Lady Frere and Chris Hani Municipality collects the water for the community within their area.#sandf#OpsNOTLELA#CoronavirusInSA#COVID19SA pic.twitter.com/FgKiRX8TvR

— SA National Defence Force 🇿🇦 (@SANDF_ZA) July 14, 2020

The Chris Hani District Municipality, overlooking the project, has been in the spotlight for failing to address the community's needs and demands for accountability. A notable point of contention is the dam's non-functional pumps, which, originally intended to last for 60 years, broke down after just six months of operation in 2021, with repair costs mounting to an additional R21 million.

Residents of Komani, heavily reliant on the dam following the failure of the nearby Bonkolo Dam, have faced prolonged water shortages, prompting severe criticism of local governance. Thulani Bukani, one of the community leaders, voices a deep-seated frustration, highlighting how these shortages disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly women in his community, citing neglect and lack of transparency from the authorities.

The litany of technical and operational failures includes extended periods of repair and testing, with the municipality continually pushing back operational timelines. Updates provided to the Eastern Cape Legislature in late 2024 by MEC Zolile Williams further confirmed ongoing issues, with no clear resolution in sight.

This debacle not only impacts local water supplies but also reflects broader systemic challenges within South African municipal management, particularly in handling vital infrastructure projects. Criticisms have centralized around the lack of effective contingency planning and community engagement, leading to heightened tensions and ongoing legal battles over water access rights.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent comments underline the urgency of addressing these issues at a national level, yet for residents like Bukani and his community, immediate solutions are critical as they face daily struggles with water scarcity.

As the Xonxa Water Project enters yet another phase of repair in 2025, the key question remains: when will the taps finally turn on? The residents of Komani are left waiting and hoping for a solution that seems just out of reach.