A plan of action is in place to deal with heavy rain and mitigate the traffic problems they usually cause in summer, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) said on Wednesday.
"The city has identified and mapped high flood risk areas, and developed mitigating plans which include implementation of tactics that proactively address hotspot areas," managing director Skhumbuzo Macozoma said in a statement.
Earlier this year, severe flooding caused R60 million of damage to road infrastructure, including potholes, storm water drains and rehabilitation of bridges and culverts.
"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," Macozoma said.
Flooding hotspots included Dobsonville, Green-village, Mapetla, Orlando East and Phiri, Doornkop, Braamfisherville, Orange Farm, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, as well as Industria, and Northriding.
In the event of flooding, a disaster management task team -- consisting of Joburg Water, JRA, Johannesburg metro police, emergency management services, social development, housing and urban development -- would help to minimise the damage and disruption.
Regional standby teams would also be deployed in the event of emergencies, Macozoma said.
"Despite the city's strategies to mitigate potential disasters during this rainy season, we would like to warn our communities that flooding may still occur and road users are urged to obey road signs and traffic signals, especially road closures due to flooded bridges or unsafe driving conditions..."
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