Numerous homes flooded in eMbalenhle

eMBALENHLE – Heavy rain over the past two weeks caused the flooding of houses in eMbalenhle, especially on Saturday, 6 February.

Ms Lillian Mamba (67) who lives with her grandchildren at Ext 18 said she lost furniture due to water that flows into her RDP house.

She cannot sleep at night because the water is causing cracks to form and she is afraid that the house might collapse on top of her and the children.

“Life is difficult for us, especially when it rains. We have experienced this even in previous years but now I am always scared when I see clouds forming.”

Ms Mamba and her neighbours need ash to fill up the ground around the RDP houses.

This serves as a barrier to prevent rain water from flooding the houses. She said the municipality is not helping them with ash as was allegedly promised to them.

“I have been asking for ash for years. Others told me to buy the ash from the municipality, but where will I get money to buy it? I am just a pensioner,” said Ms Mamba.

Every room in Ms Mamba’s RDP house was flooded and she eventually just gave up on trying to remove the water.

Mr Mqo shwa Khoza (66) also lives in Ext 18 with his son.  

He had to evacuate his shack on Wednesday, 3 January, because the shack was flooded.

Mr Khoza was scared that the water would wash his house and him away into the nearby river.

He ran to his family to find shelter from the heavy rain.

“Even now I don’t know how I am going to cook because everything is wet, including my electric appliances. My furniture is destroyed, but what I can say?

“Some might say this is a natural disaster, but I think someone is to blame for our situation.

“Right now there are no stormwater channels here so water just easily floods to our houses.

“It is times like these that I pray to someday also get an RDP house. Maybe my life can change,” said Mr Khoza.

Many sections at eMbalenhle experienced floods, such as Ext 18, 22 and 26, including Mandela Section and Azania informal settlement.