Urgent Evacuations Ordered as Mpumalanga Dam Faces Imminent Failure

MBOMBELA – South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation has issued an urgent public alert warning of the imminent failure of Senteeko Dam, also known as My Own Dam, in Mpumalanga’s Die Kaap River catchment, instructing all communities downstream to evacuate flood-prone areas immediately.

In a media statement released on 23 January 2026, the department confirmed that an emergency safety assessment conducted by its Dam Safety Office found severe and irreversible structural damage to the dam’s spillway. Officials say the deterioration is so advanced that the dam could fail without further warning.

“The dam’s spillway structure has suffered advanced erosion and undercutting, leading to serious structural instability,” the department said. “Failure of the dam is imminent.”

The dam, owned by the Shamile Communal Property Association (CPA) and used primarily for irrigation, poses, according to authorities, an immediate and serious threat to downstream communities, infrastructure, and the surrounding environment.

Residents told to leave immediately

All residents and businesses located downstream of the dam have been instructed to evacuate low-lying and flood-prone areas immediately and to follow the instructions of disaster management teams and emergency services. Public access to the dam site has been strictly prohibited.

While emergency interventions are currently underway, the department cautioned that these measures are temporary and do not eliminate the risk of either partial or complete failure of the structure.

“Emergency actions currently in place are risk-reduction measures only,” the statement said. “They do not prevent full or partial failure of the dam.”

Local disaster management authorities have been mobilised, with coordination underway between national, provincial and municipal structures to manage evacuations and prepare for possible flooding.

A reminder of growing infrastructure risks

The alert comes against the backdrop of heightened flood risk across parts of South Africa following weeks of heavy rainfall, which has placed strain on aging water infrastructure, particularly smaller privately owned and communal dams.

Senteeko Dam, also known as My Own Dam is facing imminent failure

South Africa is officially classified as a water-scarce country, yet it relies on thousands of dams, many of which are decades old and require regular maintenance and safety assessments. Experts have repeatedly warned that under-resourced dam safety oversight, especially for non-state-owned dams, poses a growing risk to communities.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has, in recent years, increased inspections of high-risk dams, but officials acknowledge that enforcement and rehabilitation remain challenging, particularly where ownership lies outside government.

Lives the priority

The department stressed that the protection of life remains its highest priority and urged the public to share information responsibly to avoid panic and misinformation.

“We urge communities to treat this warning with the utmost seriousness,” the department said. “Evacuation instructions must be followed immediately.”

No injuries or fatalities had been reported at the time of publication, but authorities warned that conditions could change rapidly should the dam give way.

Further updates are expected as monitoring continues and emergency teams remain on high alert.