The roads agency’s Flood Management and Storm Water Plan has three elements including proactive maintenance undertaken before the rains, maintenance during the rains and flood management activities at hotspot areas on the day of the flooding.
The South African Weather Service forecasts rainfall until early next week and has issued a warning for heavy rainfall in southern Gauteng with potential localised flooding in other areas.
The roads agency said flooding usually affected mobility within the city and in informal settlements and identified several flooding hotspots including Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Industria, Northriding, Soweto, Doornkop and Orange Farm.
However, the risk of flooding was not limited to these areas.
Home owners along the Klein Jukskei River were also advised to be vigilant of rising water levels and overtopped bridges.
“The city has identified and mapped high flood risk areas, and has developed mitigating plans which include implementation tactics that proactively address hotspot areas,” said roads agency’s managing director, Skhumbuzo Macozoma.
“We have duly inspected recurring blockages in the areas which are termed as ‘flooding hotspots’. We are monitoring low level bridges and dangerous river crossings, as well as fencing off dangerous open storm water channels and canals.”
The roads agency had also established regional standby teams who would be deployed as additional resources in the event of emergencies, Macozoma said.
Furthermore, the roads agency also monitored SA Weather Services’ warnings of severe weather, including potential flooding, which was immediately communicated to the regions at risk.
According to the roads agency, high rainfall patterns over the past few years had significantly impacted the city’s road network system and supporting infrastructure.
Earlier this year, R60 million was spent on repairing damaged roads and infrastructure, including potholes and storm water drains, and repairs and rehabilitation of nine bridges and culverts across the city following severe flooding.
The public were encouraged to report all road and storm water related emergencies during flooding directly to the roads agency’s 24-hour regional standby teams:
Midrand, Ivory Park, Diepsloot, Fourways, Woodmead: 060 960 0764
Rosebank, Northcliff, Melville, Auckland Park, Bryanston, Randburg: 060 960 0787
Sandton, Alexandria, Houghton Estate: 060 960 0760
Inner City, Hillbrow, Braamfontein, Parktown: 060 960 0763
