The Department of Water and Sanitation has issued an urgent warning about the risk of sudden failure at Senteeko Dam in Mpumalanga, urging downstream residents to evacuate immediately. Advanced erosion has compromised the structure, potentially releasing 1.82 million cubic metres of water. Officials emphasize that life protection is the top priority amid ongoing coordination efforts.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has alerted the public to the severe danger at My Own Dam, also called Senteeko Dam, in the Die Kaap River catchment in Mpumalanga. Owned by the Shamile Communal Property Association and primarily used for irrigation, the dam's spillway has suffered advanced erosion and undercutting, leading to structural instability, according to an emergency assessment by the DWS Dam Safety Office.
Officials state that failure could happen without warning, resulting in an uncontrolled water release that threatens downstream communities, infrastructure, and the environment. The volume at risk is 1.82 million cubic metres, potentially flooding the Suidkaap area near Barberton and Kaapsehoop.
Spokesperson Wisane Mavasa explained: “An emergency safety assessment is conducted by the department's dam safety offices, (and has) confirmed that the dam spillway structure has suffered severe and irreversible deterioration including advanced erosion and undercutting leading to structural instability. Failure of the dam is imminent without any further warning. A non controlled release of water will likely impose an immediate and serious threats to downstream communities, infrastructure and the environment.”
Residents and businesses downstream are advised to leave flood-prone zones right away and heed instructions from disaster management teams. Access to the site is banned, and while temporary measures are in place, they do not guarantee against collapse. The DWS is working with authorities to manage the response and promises updates. It also calls for sharing only verified details to curb misinformation.
This alert follows notices from government accounts, including one on January 20, 2026, highlighting the evacuation need under hashtags like #MpumalangaFloods2026.