EDITOR – I refer to the recent tragic floods and grow angry when I listen to the defensive rhetoric of the acting premier of KZN Sihle Zikalala, deflecting blame and responsibility as is so customary of the ANC.
He states that the blame for the damage in Rockview Road and elsewhere is not due to the negligence of the municipalities, but is rather a result of the unprecedented storm which was sudden, unexpected and violent. Well, let it be placed on record, again that the Rockview Road wash away did not need to happen. The responsibility lies squarely with the municipality. Over recent months, the road flooded at the Engen garage repeatedly due to a blocked storm water drain and despite requests to the municipality, the drain was not unblocked. When the deluge came and it was just a matter of time before it did, the water had nowhere to go but down the hill. The rest is history.
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident:
· Some two years ago residents at Lagoon Point complex, down the road from the current wash away noticed the storm water drain outside the entrance to the complex was blocked. Numerous calls were made to have the drain unblocked, but alas to no avail. Torrential rain occurred soon thereafter and a large wash away developed and a 10m section of the complex’s perimeter wall collapsed.
· In 2007, a mere 200 metres from the wash away that occurred last week in Rockview Road a similar disaster occurred. A blocked drain between Cascades and Pearl Place was reported to the municipality on countless occasions. Again it fell on deaf or disinterested ears. Yes, you know the rest – torrential rains over a short time period resulted in a massive wash away. The foundations of Cascades were totally exposed as were the piles on which Pearl Place was built. Were it not for the piles going down 18 metres into the ground the whole block would have collapsed.
It galls me to hear these smug officials deflecting blame for the catastrophic state of our drainage infrastructure. It is clear that little or no maintenance is carried out as is the case with our water purification plants countrywide as another example. Systemic decay and disintegration of systems that historically worked without fault decade in and out is the state of the nation today.
Gary Schreiner
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