The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has instructed that excavation of the Vorna Valley wetland be stopped to avoid more damage to it.
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The decision was taken at a meeting on 11 January convened by Ward 132 councillor, Annette Deppe, which was attended by residents, and representatives of the Joburg Roads Agency, department of agriculture and City of Joburg. Deppe called the meeting after receiving complaints from residents about excavations in the wetland that led to properties being damaged due to flooding.
Resident, Peter Rowlands said he was concerned that the wetland was being destroyed and wanted clarity as to whether activities undertaken in the wetland were approved or lawful. He said excavations in the wetland took place in 2012 and a berm was constructed to curb the situation. But the construction was not effective, resulting in continuous flooding.
“The 2012 excavation, where a berm was [constructed] by excavating about 250m of the river course of the wetland, has eroded, allowing the flood waters to breach, directing the flow between the berm and the properties without providing a return course,” he said.
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Deppe said the 2012 and 2017 excavations, seemingly, were a short-term solution to divert any storm flow that runs from the breach in the 2012 berm behind No 22 E Fry back into the newly excavated river course. The reason for all the temporary solutions, the 2012 excavation and 2017 emergency response was that the budget allocation had not been made available to implement the 2009 storm water management plan.
“It was agreed that a proper permanent solution and procedures needed to be implemented to alleviate the continuous flooding and damages to the properties during rainy seasons,” said Deppe. “It was also acknowledged that excavating a sensitive area to form unstabilised temporary barriers is a crude and temporary solution and that it directly impacts the integrity of the wetland.”
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