Joburg floods: City of Joburg assisting displaced residents

The City of Joburg MMC for Human Settlements – Mlungisi Mabaso and Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni will pay a visit the construction site on Klipspruit Valley Road, Soweto on Monday.

This comes after hundreds of Soweto families were displaced by floods following persistent rain over the weekend.

Temporary shelter

Mabaso said they are working to secure a community hall to temporarily house the more than 300 families displaced by flash floods at Nancefield hostel in Soweto.

“I had been in communication with the MMC responsible for all our public facilities in the city to make them available to house some of those that might require such intervention. So, we are putting something together and we are working with Disaster,”

Road repairs

The City of Johannesburg said Klipspruit Valley Road was closed for repairs in August, affecting amongst others, Rea Vaya buses along that route.

“Due to recent rains, construction has been severely hampered, affecting the planned reopening of Klipspruit Valley Road.”

The flooding comes after the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Level 6 warning for strong winds, disruptive rainfall and possible localised flooding this weekend.

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Joburg emergency services on alert

Meanwhile Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said they will remain on high alert for possible flooding in low-lying areas and informal settlements

“Even though we have not recorded any fatalities, we are still encouraging our motorists out there to continue to be cautious on the roads, extend a safe following distance and also try and avoid crossing roads and bridges that might be flooded.”

“Our residents will know that most of our informal settlements are vulnerable to severed thunderstorms. We have our swift water unit which is specialised team that responds to water related emergencies on high alert and also our thirty fire stations throughout the city are fully operational,” Mulaudzi said.

Gauteng Weather

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecast cloudy conditions in the south on Monday with morning fog patches becoming partly cloudy and cool but warm in the north with isolated thunderstorms.

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