President Jacob Zuma today assured residents of the Stjwetla informal settlement in Alexandra, Gauteng that infrastructure along the Jukskei River will be upgrade to avoid future flooding events.

The president’s visit comes in the wake of flooding across Gauteng last week which led to the death of seven people and displaced hundreds more.

Zuma emphasised that the Jukskei River often floods during rainy seasons and urged residents not to build their homes along the river. However he said there are long-term plans in place to control the flow of water from the river to avoid repeat incidents. The “emergency project”, says Zuma, will involve all three spheres of government working together.

Accompanied by Cooperative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen and Gauteng Premier David Makhura, Zuma told Alexandra residents that government is prioritising their needs, stating that, in addition to immediate help for those left destitute, a medium-term plan is being developed to place people in temporary housing while seeking a long-term solution.

 

The fall out

Gauteng Premier David Makhura is seriously considering declaring some affected parts of Gauteng as disaster areas. This would allow government to tap into all available resources to assist those adversely affected by the floods.

However, Gauteng MEC for roads and transport Ismail Vadi has said that the flooding did not cause any structural damage to infrastructure. Vadi said that the department would continue to work with local municipalities to ensure that infrastructure was maintained in order to make sure road safety was not compromised.

With more rain predicted, government says it plans to ensure that people who are informally settled along river banks have been moved to formal areas to prevent the risks associated with such living patterns.

Residents living next to rivers and streams have been urged to evacuate to a safer place and those living in low lying areas must avoid crossing flooded bridges and rivers.