The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Friday, September 15, 1967 — The Ingwesi Dam in the Mphoengs Tribal Trust area, the largest project under the £3 000 000 Matabeleland drought relief scheme and the largest earth dam in the country has reached the impervious zone above the expected river level.

About 100 people, including the Minister of Water Development, Mr P van Heerden, were entertained yesterday to lunch at the site by the contractors, WJ and RL Gulliver (Pvt) Ltd.

The level of construction means that if there are early rains the dam will be reasonably safe. The dam will be Matabeleland’s largest.

The earth fill dam, with a sloping upstream impervious core resting against a sand filter-drain which is supported by the downstream shell, will irrigate 1600 acres.

It will be 130ft. high, 900ft. long, have a catchment area of 327ft. The scheme, which includes a concretelined canal 12 miles long is expected to be completed next April.

The Ministry of Water Development is responsible for the design and is supervising construction. Mr Van Heerden said it was a great opportunity and occasion to see “this pioneer effort in the bush”.

He suggested that when the dam was completed many of the buildings could be used as amenities for people seeing the dam.

He congratulated the contractors and the local staff on their efforts.

A guest at the luncheon was Mr Cyril Targett, chairman of the Matabeleland Development Council where the scheme was first suggested.