Heavy rain soaks Gauteng in chaos

Heavy rain across the central and eastern parts of the country yesterday saw widespread flooding, damage to electricity infrastructure and power outages, as well as a string of vehicle accidents.

Emergency services were hard-pressed to keep up and, in some cases, called upon to evacuate people from flooding areas.

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said informal settlements – including Diepsloot, Klipspruit West and Jackson Park – were severely affected.

Mulaudzi said EMS evacuated residents in severely affected areas. Diepsloot residents were placed in the local community centre.

Flash floods in Nellmapuis Drive.
Photo: Facebook

Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers said the floods were caused by blockages of drainage systems.

“JRA has inspected recurring blockages in the areas which are termed as flooding hot spots and we are monitoring low level bridges prone to overtopping during heavy downpours. Maintenance and repairs to damaged water drains and blocked drains are also prioritised,” she said.

Disaster Management Services (DMS) spokesperson Niel Rooi said: “During normal operation, drainage systems can handle the water flow. But as soon as there is prolonged rain, the water flow blocks the inflow, so we’re trying to systematically clean those inflows of the drainage system.”

Peters-Scheepers said their teams are also out closing worst-affected roads and bridges and ensuring others are safe for travel and “in anticipation of further storms”.

A man negotiates the floods in Meadowdale, Edenvale after heavy rains in the area over the last 24 hours, 23 March 2018. Picture: Neil McCartney

JRA warned motorists to stay clear of a number of collapsed or low-lying bridges, while the agency’s managing director, Sean Phillips, advised: “People need to stay away of flooding hot spots and they need to keep children away from drainage ditches and open drainage systems.

“Motorists should be cautious and never drive into water covering the road. If the vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.”

SA Weather Service forecaster Kumsa Masizana said the weather was expected to clear from today. Masizana explained that the heavy rainfall was due to a cold front that moved over the country.

“We also had heavy upper air conditions. These triggered large upper air systems which caused heavy rain,” she said.

Masizana said the cause of the heavy rainfall was influenced by the “dominant tropical systems”.

Roads flood near Lenchen Avenue, Centurion on 23 March 2018. Heavy rains in the Gauteng region have caused transport blockages and flooding throughout the province. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

Tshwane Emergencies Services yesterday urgently evacuated people in Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa, north of Pretoria, and in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, because the Jukskei River threatened to burst its banks.

Spokesperson Johan Pieterse said the Hennops and Apies rivers were also at dangerously high levels.

Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said many suburbs and townships suffered power outages and city technicians and electricians would first focus on area outages for restoration and thereafter attend to individual complaints.

He warned residents to treat all electrical points as live.

Most low bridges in Centurion and in and around Tshwane were closed.

Motorists were warned to avoid the R55 and M24 roads due to a huge sinkhole. A motorist drove into the sinkhole yesterday.

A sinkhole in Valhalla, on the road leading to and from the R55.
Picture: Twitter/Rob Beezy

Surprise Makhanya, who works as a security guard, says he lost his one-room shack in Mamelodi Ext 24, including his personal belongings, in the blink of an eye.

He was at home yesterday morning when floods swept it away.

Makhanya had a choice to save himself or his belongings. He took his ID card, as well as other important documents.

“It just happened at once, but there was really no time to take anything. It was just for you to get out before you get trapped inside,” he said.

He added that floods were worsened by the nearby Moretele River bursting its banks.

“Then, there was just this rush of water that came this side, and then our shacks just submerged under water.”

The 24-year-old has been living in Mamelodi for the past three years and has to start reconstructing his shack.

“For me it is starting from scratch,” he said.

– news@citizen.co.za

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