Statement by Cornelia September on the Wolwedans Dam
20 November 2007
On the 4th November 2007, the Wolwedans Dam received a prestigious award from the President of ICOLD, (the International Commission on Large Dams), Mr Luis Berga.
Wolwedans dam is situated on the Great Brak River near Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape in South Africa.
The dam was nominated by experts from countries who pioneered and lead in the construction of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dams, of which South Africa is one.
Wolwedans Dam was built using Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC). RCC is basically a dry concrete mix placed and compacted with equipment traditionally used for earthworks, such as bulldozers and vibratory rollers. One of the major benefits of this method of construction is that it speeds up the construction process. The cost of construction is further reduced due to the fact that significantly less formwork is used.
The ANC sees this as an honour and a proud moment, for the whole of South Africa, to receive such recognition for outstanding technological innovation and that South Africa could share its experience with the rest of the world. Similar RCC techniques will be applied in the De Hoop Dam Project and other projects still in the planning phase.
I thank you.
Cornelia September
Chairperson: Water & Forestry Committee
021 403 2911
