Flooding damages six houses

Six houses were flooded when the Klein Jukskei River overflowed in Randpark Ridge and Fontainebleau at about 1am on 17 February.

It had been raining heavily during the night.

No one was hurt, but ER24 paramedics treated three people for trauma, said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.

“I first heard three loud thuds,” said resident Caroline Meiring. “As I got out of bed, I stepped in water… Water was coming through the windows, up the toilet and through the door. Everything was floating.”

Next door, resident Riaz Khan had water up to his chin. “I crawled over the furniture to the lounge,” he said.

“I broke the ceiling and punched the bricks out on the roof.”

Khan then sat on his roof and called to his neighbours to also break through to the roof and wait there until the water subsided or help arrived.

He said the fire department arrived about two hours later.

During the morning, the Johannesburg Roads Agency, ER24, Community Support Services and Linden Police arrived to assist the residents.

Residents Roxanne Goslin, Mykel Goslin and Monique Stuart were found assisting in cleaning the houses.

“We weren’t affected but we feel terrible as their whole house is destroyed,” Roxanne said. “The least we can do is shovel muck,” Mykel said.

The owner of the house that was the worst affected, where Khan is living, wished to speak on condition of anonymity.

He called the area a ‘disaster zone’, and added that the last time the area flooded, which was in November 2013, he paid R250 000 for repairs. Resident Peter Meiring said this was the fourth or fifth time the area had flooded.

According to Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood, five residents are now looking for accommodation. He also asked two resident’s associations to help collect food and clothing for those affected.

More reports of flooding are being heard, including that of Crystal Castle Educare Centre, Bromhof.

Details: ER24 011 319 6500, Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood mikewo@mweb.co.za, 0872 853 2174.