Pongolapoort Dam, commonly referred to as Jozini Dam creating Lake Jozini, is an arch type dam (double-curvature single-arch) in northern

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

located on the Phongolo River. The dam is situated just north of the settlement of

Jozini Jozini is a settlement in Umkhanyakude District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Jozini is a small town on the main route to Mozambique, and it is close to the Jozini or Pongolapoort Dam Pongolapoort Dam, commonly ...

, 280 km north-east of the port city of

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

. The dam was constructed in 1973 at the eastern end of the narrow gorge separating the Lebombo and Ubombo ranges. The dam mainly serves for irrigation purposes and its hazard potential has been ranked high (3). The Phongolo River is the dam's largest feeder and outlet as well as the dam's only perennial feeder.

History

Prior to the construction of the Pongolapoort Dam, the land was Africa's first formally recognised conservation area. The Pongola Game Reserve was proclaimed in 1894 by the then President of the

Transvaal Republic The South African Republic ( nl, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, abbreviated ZAR; af, Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek), also known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer Republic in Southern Africa which existed from 1852 to 1902, when i ...

Paul Kruger Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (; 10 October 1825 – 14 July 1904) was a South African politician. He was one of the dominant political and military figures in 19th-century South Africa, and President of the South African Republic (or ...

. This would ultimately lead to the proclamation of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Mkuze and Ndumo Game Reserves as well as one of Africa's greatest wildlife conservation parks, the

Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends from north to south and from ea ...

Wildlife

The dam is flanked by private wildlife reserves as well as the Pongola Game Reserve which has many private lodges as well campsite for fishing. Wildlife and birdlife abound in the area. Mammals to be sought include elephant, leopard, white and black rhinoceros, buffalo, hippopotamus, waterbuck, bushbuck, nyala, greater kudu, zebra, giraffe and spotted hyaena. The dam and its surrounds support over 350 bird species which includes rarities such as African broadbill, saddle-billed and yellow-billed storks,

African finfoot The African finfoot (''Podica senegalensis'') is an aquatic bird from the family Heliornithidae (the finfoots and sungrebe). The species lives in the rivers and lakes of western, central, and southern Africa. Description The African finfoot is an ...

Pel's fishing owl Pel's fishing owl (''Scotopelia peli'') is a large species of owl in the family Strigidae. The species is found in Africa and lives near rivers and lakes. It feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. Th ...

and Narina trogon. The dam also supports a breeding colony of pink-backed and great white pelicans. Additionally the dam supports a stable population of

Nile crocodile The Nile crocodile (''Crocodylus niloticus'') is a large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa, where it is present in 26 countries. It is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the central, eastern, ...

s. The dam is also home to the southernmost population of

tigerfish Tigerfish can refer to fish from various families, and derives from official and colloquial associations of these with the tiger (''Panthera tigris''). However, the primary species designated by the name "tigerfish" are African and belong to the ...

. Other fish species include

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

and kurper.

Water quality

No information regarding the water quality of the dam but can be assumed to be fair. The Pongola Rivers major form of pollution is agricultural pesticides which make their way into the river due to the heavy use of land for agriculture above the dam.

Houseboat fire

Ballito based company ''Shayamanzi Houseboats'' is running a luxury

houseboat A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Most houseboats are not motorized as they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point, and often tethered to land to provide utilities. Ho ...

operation on Lake Jozini. On 9 October 2021 one of the boats, ''Shayamanzi I'', caught fire and completely burnt after a faulty engine overheated. The four crew members and five German tourists dived into the rough water, where three people (two crew member and one tourist) died. The cause of the fire and possible negligence is under investigation by

South African Maritime Safety Authority The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is a South African government agency established on 1 April 1998 as a result of the 1998 South African Maritime Safety Authority Act 5. as such it is responsible for the implementation of current ...

(SAMSA).

References

List of South African Dams
from the

Department of Water Affairs The Department of Water and Sanitation is one of the departments of the South African government. It is responsible for the state of water and sanitation in South Africa. In May 2009, following the election of Jacob Zuma, the Department of Wa ...

Dams in South Africa Dams completed in 1973 {{SouthAfrica-dam-stub

History

Wildlife

Water quality

Houseboat fire

See also

References