Storm causes more damages to New Germany roads and homes
The DA PR councillor, who conducted an oversight of affected roads from the April 2022 storms and the storm from last Tuesday, June 27, said she was shocked that nothing has been done to fix the damage from last year's floods.
FOLLOWING Tuesday’s floods that wreaked havoc in Durban, Ward 21 PR councillor Riona Gokool drove around New Germany Road to do an oversight on Monday, July 3.
Most of the roads that still had not been fixed from last year’s floods were again damaged.
A resident of Callie Road, Alva Stanley, said the stormwater culvert opposite his home is the main cause of the flooding in the houses along his street.
Also read: Families relive traumatic experiences in the floods
“This is an ongoing problem which has and continues to cause massive damages.”
Inside the culvert, there are debris, plastics, bottles and all kinds of litter.
“So whenever there are heavy rains, the water overflows. We are not safe. My yard was flooded, water came onto my garage, and my fridge, deep freezer, generator and some of my garden furniture ended up down the river.”
Stanley highlighted that the rubble inside is left by municipal workers who leave things lying around whenever they are fixing the road or cutting the grass.
“All of that ends up inside that water drain and results in a blockage – even now, there is a tree inside here – not just the branches but a whole tree,” he said.
The resident said that as homeowners in the area, they have done everything to try and resolve this matter.
Also read: Community picking up the pieces after floods
“We have used all the right channels; we have sent WhatsApp messages and emails but nothing; there has been no action. This happened before and is still going to happen if they do not get to the bottom of the problem.
“The frustrating part is not being able to speak to a human being; we are going nowhere slowly. I really wish someone could come out and witness this, and maybe then they will take this matter seriously,” said Stanley.
Community feels defeated and forgotten
Another resident Richard Steel said people’s fences were washed away. “This whole road was filled with water; you would swear it was a swimming pool.
“Just around Louisa Place, the road was washed away last year, and it has not been fixed.
“It is like we are forgotten. One of our neighbours had just managed to get their insurance to pay out and fix the damages, and now, it is damaged again. They have to claim again – this is something that could have been avoided,” he said.
Gokool said it is shocking that a year later, despite both herself and residents reporting the damaged infrastructure, no work has been undertaken to fix, repair, maintain or even secure damaged sites.
“The roads, pipes and cables damaged by the storms are clearly an indication of years worth of non-maintenance. It is also very clear that the municipality does not have a concise and comprehensive report of all the storm damage and a strategic plan as to how to deal with the damage, coupled with routine maintenance and service delivery. It cannot be either-or as residents pay rates, taxes and their amenity bills on time so it should be all three.”
She asked how long are residents expected to deal with ruined infrastructure.
“Communities are starting to look like war-torn areas or Jurassic Park movie scenes. Homes are being compromised by uncleared culverts and drains, and some homes are literally on the verge of collapse because banks have not been secured,” said the frustrated PR councillor.
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