HP0019

Did You Know?

The Vaaldam, also known as the Vaal Dam, is a major reservoir on the Vaal River, located near Deneysville in the Free State province. Construction of the dam began in 1933 and was completed in 1938, with the official opening in that year. The dam was built primarily to supply water to the Witwatersrand industrial region, including the city of Johannesburg, and to provide water for irrigation and domestic use. The year 1948 is significant in South African history as the year the National Party came to power, which introduced the policy of apartheid, but it does not mark a specific event in the dam's construction or operation. The Vaal Dam has a wall height of about 54 meters and a storage capacity of over 2.5 billion cubic meters, making it one of the largest dams in South Africa. Deneysville, a small town on the southern shore of the dam, was established in the 1930s as a holiday and residential resort, and it grew as the dam became a popular destination for water sports and recreation. The dam's catchment area includes parts of the Free State, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga, and it is a key component of the Vaal River system, which has been central to the region's economic development since the early 20th century.

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