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"Once upon a time, dams were the so-called marvels of engineering, and these were presented as a kind of conquest on nature. They were typically described or photographed from a great height looking down as though it was God’s eye viewing these marvels. And the implications were very clear; that the man-made constructs were almost more powerful than nature, and certainly more significant than mere human beings." (Ronnie Kasril, SA Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, 1999).

Inanda dam in South Africa

IDay of Action against Large Dams
On the 14th of March 2004, Yonge Nawe joined the whole world in commemorating the International Day of Action against Large Dams. This year’s action was focusing on financiers of bad dams and most specifically the World Bank. The World Bank is this year celebrating its 60th anniversary. It therefore serves as an opportune time, that while we celebrate the inception of this noble institution, we raise our concerns around its professed intent of meeting the needs of the poor majority. These concerns equally apply to all financiers of these mega projects.

Benefits of dams

Dams contribute to the development of tourism, hydropower, irrigation and water supply to industries and cities

It is without qualm that dams have made an important and significant contribution to human development, the benefits derived from them have been considerable. Hydropower has been generated, large fields irrigated and large cities supplied with water. Locally, the Luphohlo Dam is used for power generation; the Mnjoli and Sand River Dams irrigate a large area of sugar cane in Simunye and Mhlume respectively. The renowned Maguga Dam is multi-purpose, which has helped in the expansion of sugar cane and is still to benefit the country with the generation of power. 

We understand the need and the reality for dams to catch and store water for various purposes. Spatial and temporal variations of rains necessitate that we increase our storage capacity, and dams are one alternative of many. Having the water storage situation in Africa averaging 21 cubic metres per capita, with some countries having as low as 4 cubic metres, it seemingly becomes a commonsensical idea to build dams. 

Ills of dams
While we acknowledge all these benefits from dams, we also are aware that in many cases, an unacceptable and often unnecessary price has been paid to secure such. Really do the benefits justify the entire social, economic and environmental impacts imposed by such large water infrastructure? 

a) Social impact
There has been major injustice displayed in dam construction. After decades of the construction of Mnjoli Dam, it is only now that they have thought of paying reparations to those who were displaced. People lost their fields, houses, neighbours, and above all their way of life was disturbed.
 

People loose fields, houses, neighbours, and above all their way of life is disturbed when large dams are constructed

The Kariba dam of Zimbabwe, Inanda in S.A. and the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) are but a few of what may be loosely called "bad dams," where people have been taken for granted under the guise of development. 

Tin-houses used as teachers’ residence at Mnjoli Primary School

In the case of LHWP, Maseru is sometimes in dire need of water while all their water is taken to South Africa to feed Gauteng residents and run industries.  Basotho will ever be cursing those who signed that dreadful treaty. In Inanda, people after many years of promises of double-storey houses, they are still sheltered in tin-houses.

These houses are very cold in winter and in summer they are jumbo ovens. This is unacceptable!

b) Environmental impact
Construction of dams has adverse impacts on the environment. There are changes in the river flow levels due to the storage upstream, which drastically impact on the lives of many, downstream. In dam construction, there is also disruption of annual floods, which are necessary to irrigate and fertilize the fields and also to recharge wells. In that way, floodplain farming is affected. Declines in fisheries have also been noted, in fact there is much loss of biodiversity along the river, well knowing that riverside land supports most diverse wildlife habitats. It is unfortunate that at the time of signing of the treaty for the Maguga Dam according to a report from Komati Basin Water Authority, in stream flow requirement was not an issue and therefore was not considered (http://www.kobwa.co.za/maguga6.cfm).

Due to inundation fertile farmland is lost. In Maguga dam, 168 plant species were fatally impacted. 3 plant species used for medicinal purposes were lost completely, 2 of which are even used for the Incwala National Ceremony, an important cultural practice. (http://www.kobwa.co.za/maguga6.cfm).

c) Diseconomies of dams
Overestimated benefits and underestimated costs seem to be a more used equation in the dam industry. A report by the World Commission (2000) on Dams has shown that dam promoters exaggerate the benefits of these projects. Dams have on average generated less power, irrigated less land and provided fewer water supplies than predicted. This discovery makes us doubt the much announced economical benefits of dams. 

In the case of the celebrated Maguga dam, two major studies were conducted to evaluate the economic viability of the overall project. The Economic Internal Rates of Return (EIRR) determined by Gibb and Conningarth were 10.0% and 11.5% respectively (http://www.ecs.co.sz/komati/project_overview.htm). Infrastructure projects in developing countries are judged successful if they exceed 10.0% in EIRR (Citizen’s guide to the WCD, 2002)

But the same dam seems to be hitting below par. The dam, which was expected to fill up in the year 2002, according to record has never exceeded 28% of its capacity. The dam is struggling to reach a quarter of its capacity due to high temperatures and lack of rain. The hydropower production of 50% of the country’s needs remains to be a sheer ambition. Small-scale farmers in the developments downstream have been asked to reduce water use. Reduction of water use with the traditional irrigation systems characterised by their wasteful tendencies merely means a reduction in the crop output resulting in less income for the farmers who are still expected to repay their loans. 

d) Relevance to local needs
We used to see dams as the promise of revolution – as a source of jobs, we saw dams as capable of translating dry lands into healthy farmlands. We associated dams with helping the poor, enabling rural people to live in a sustainable manner, we associated dams with the provision of adequate clean water for the rural poor, giving them back their long lost worth. But it seems dams have not gone far enough to help the country come out of its poverty trap. About 60% of the Swazi population still lives below the poverty line, while about 47% lack access to safe and clean water. 

Dams should therefore be relevant to the immediate needs of the rural poor. It should meet our requirements to produce enough food. It is a cause for concern that dams in Swaziland are far from addressing the problem of food security the country is facing. What we have been seeing is a deprivation of the poor of their water resources for the benefit of agribusiness, particularly sugarcane farming, our priorities are rather skewed if one may say. 

Proper water management 
Swaziland is perceived to be in the midst of a water crisis, and one of scarcity. A larger fraction of the Swazi populace lack access to decent water supplies. It is still a question if this crisis is as a result of too little water, or a result of mismanagement and distorted priorities. In fact it is wise to enquire and find out where really all the stored water goes to and how it can be better used to provide water and food for the poor.

Among all the disasters it seems the greatest is one of water mismanagement. Basic water needs are not given priority, as stated in the Water Act of 2003. A large proportion of our water resources have been dammed and channelled to sustain industries and commercial agriculture at the expense of communities.

In fact, it is not the dams we need, it is easy access to water. We need water to curb the spread of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid and others. We need water nearby to ease the physical burden mainly on women and girls who carry water over long distances, we need water to be provided by municipalities even in the urban slums where the economically disadvantaged reside. If dams can achieve these needs, well and good.