Joburg Roads Agency assessing road damage after flooding

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is assessing structural damage to flooded roads in the city after recent heavy rains which destroyed infrastructure and lives.

JRA spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers said severe road infrastructural damage had been reported across Joburg, with several areas severely impacted by extreme weather conditions since Friday.

“We are still assessing the situation but a lot of roads have been closed and a lot of bridges have been closed. Today we will be assessing what needs to remain closed and what we can open again,” she said.

Some roads had structural damage while others were just flooded, she added.

“We are assessing the damage. The teams are still attending to an emergency situation but we are busy with mopping up operations as we can, and we are starting to assess the damages.”

Public safety MMC David Tembe said the city was experiencing heavy rains that destroyed infrastructure and devastated livelihoods. He said conditions on Friday had been particularly difficult.

Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) has been inundated with reports from all parts of the city, including submerged vehicles, people trapped on roofs, and collapsed walls, shacks and houses.

Region D was the worst affected area. In Klipspruit, Soweto, 11 houses were destroyed and 73 people affected. In neighbouring Dobsonville, 10 houses including shacks were reported to have been destroyed, leaving 48 people destitute.

About 52 houses also got swept away in Meadowlands next to Dorothy Nyembe Park, 42 shacks at Matholesville, 11 in Doornkop and 7 in Tshepisong. 

Protea North, Braamfischerville and Princess informal settlement also experienced the wrath of the floods.

“Eldorado Park, Orange Farm, parts of Main Reef Road and Alex also needed assistance,” said Tembe.

The department of public safety deployed boots on the ground to ensure there were rescue teams to evacuate people who were trapped. The JMPD, swift water technicians and teams from the JRA also assisted those in need. 

A total of 339 people were affected by floods on Friday and Saturday. About 269 structures, houses and shacks, were swept away.

“Although the flooding incidents were not declared a disaster, the City of Johannesburg disaster management centre created a hybrid joint operation centre (JOC) to monitor and assess the situation, and also facilitate relief. This is a multidisciplinary team that involves [the department of] housing, City Power, [the department of] social development, JRA and other significant entities,” said Tembe.

He said their recent visit with mayor Mpho Phalatse and other members of the mayoral committee to Setswetla, Alexandra, painted a picture of a community in distress.

“The building of shacks on river banks persists, rendering residents vulnerable and in danger of being swept away by floods at any time.”

Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Nana Radebe said they had not received reports of any major incidents on Monday.

“We are, however, still on high alert and we will continue to be in contact with the SA Weather Services to give any flooding alerts. We will also be heading around Jukskei River today [Monday] to check on the water levels and any other areas prone to flooding,” she said.

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