Work on the long-awaited Berg River Dam Project commenced in September 2025 and recently kicked into high gear. The project – on land belonging to the Department of Water & Sanitation – aims to restore leisure infrastructure, such as hiking and biking trails, create new eco-tourism offerings and protect sensitive ecological areas. A public information meeting held on 3 November was addressed by project leader Reghard Goussard. During the meeting and afterward some community groups expressed their concerns about or opposition to the project, particularly about the institution of entrance fees, while others welcomed the improved control the development would bring. Permit fees are still to be determined.
The current work in the dam area is being done by SA Trails Network NPC, which is wholly owned by Hard Adventures Tourism Group (HATG) and ARC of Franschhoek. They currently employ 12 Mooiwater / Groendal residents. Another Mooiwater resident, Mr. Marcel Davids, has been appointed as a director of SA Trails Network NPC in what Goussard described as “proof that regeneration is not only about restoring land, but about empowering people.”
“Work on trail infrastructure includes aspects such as signage, trailheads, rest points and accessibility upgrades,” says Goussard, “while the trail design will prioritise water conservation awareness and biodiversity education. Alien vegetation clearing and ecological rehabilitation work will also be undertaken.
The Berg River Dam Adventure Tourism Company (BRDATC) holds a 9 year and 11 months lease (starting 28 February 2024) over the DWS land surrounding the Berg River Dam. (The actual water area is owned by the City of Cape Town.)
According to HATC the work is focussed on the repair and installation of fencing, gates and other access control infrastructure (including CCTV cameras), upgrading of access roads, removal of unsafe derelict structures and signage, preparation for the refurbishment of Bell’s Lodge, and implementation of the site development plan (SDP). The latter includes aspects such as obtaining environmental approval for a sewage treatment works, water use licensing and upgrades to the slipway. Unauthorised dam access routes will also be closed, where after repairs to the dam wall infrastructure will commence under the direction of the DWS and the Department of Public Works (DPW). All these activities are required in terms of the lease agreement.
Goussard explains that cutting-edge green and sustainable architecture will be showcased in the development, which has been named “ARC of Franschhoek” in a nod to Noah’s Ark, with ARC being an acronym for Architectural Regeneration Community.
The project master plan envisages a range of activities “that balance ecological preservation with adventure and leisure.” These include:
• Restoration of Bell’s Lodge and the adjacent dwellings to serve as the project’s hub. These will house an administrative office, reservations desk, coffee shop and an experiential restaurant showcasing local cuisine and culture. A race village which will most likely have facilities like canoe rentals, bicycle rentals and retail is anticipated adjacent to the Bells Lodge.
• Existing trails will be upgraded and new ones created in an environmentally sensitive way for walkers, hikers and mountain bikers of all ages and abilities. It is also envisaged to reinstate the link between Jonkershoek and Assegaaibos.
• The dam will become a hub for non-motorised water sports, such as swimming, canoeing and rowing. Partnerships have already been entered into with Olympians Michelle Weber (open-water swimming) and Roman del Monte (rowing) to present programmes for future Olympians.
• A small amount of tourist accommodation will be offered in eco-sensitive pods overlooking the water body. These temporary structures will blend in with the environment and can be removed without leaving a trace.
• A catch-and-release trout farm is planned for the upper reaches of the dam near the old suspension bridge.
• A lookout deck on the dam wall will offer panoramic views up and down the valley.
• Plans are underway to host a limited number of high-profile competitions, adventure and cultural events, positioning the area as a global destination for adventure tourism.
At the public meeting, opposition to the project was voiced by some interests, while others were supportive. While some hikers, bikers, dog walkers and swimmers were opposed because they will lose the free access to the area that they have long enjoyed – albeit without the permission of the landowner – many others were supportive as they see the benefits of access control and active management of the area.
A local Khoisan group, currently illegally occupying the adjacent former Jim Fouche picnic site and subject to eviction proceedings, claimed the lease was invalid as they have a cultural claim to the land. (The picnic site is not part of the lease area.)
Political/community leaders couched their opposition in terms of what they perceive as promises made and not kept by the state forestry company, SAFCOL, after it withdrew from the La Motte Plantation and the TCTA after the construction of the dam was completed. Much reference was made to the Sustainable Utilisation Plan for the dam which was part of the environmental impact assessment for the project.
DWS has pointed out that at the time of the dam’s construction Resource Management Plans (RMPs), which are strategic plans that regulate dam use, including recreation and access, were not required for such projects – hence the Sustainable Utilisation Plan (SUP) was developed. The SUP was integrated into the Berg River Dam RMP, the latest version of which dates to 2015. The SUP has therefore been replaced with the Berg River Dam RMP and no longer enjoys any official status.
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In a separate project in the Berg River Dam area the TCTA is constructing an interpretation centre at the site of the historic Skuifraam farmhouse ruins near the dam wall. The centre will, amongst others, tell the history of the Berg River Valley, from its geology and first inhabitants to the history of the historic cattle farms now flooded by the dam.
