KUTLWANO OLI FANT
HEAVY rains which caused damage to several homes in Soweto have left 18-month-old twins Bonolo and Karabo Nare without food or dry clothes and blankets.
This happened after their Klipspruit home was flooded. The heavy rains experienced overnight affected not only the Nare family of five but several families in other parts of Soweto.
Johannesburg Roads Agency spokesman advocate Thulani Makhubela said the flooding was because the drainage system in Soweto was unable to handle the amount of water after heavy rains.
He said many of the houses that were flooded were built below floodlines and therefore couldn’t handle the water.
“There is a master plan for Soweto and the surrounding areas, which is to maintain the situation, which will then have to be upgraded,” he said.
By yesterday afternoon, the Nare family realised that they would not be able to spend the night in their two-bedroom RDP house.
“I won’t be sleeping at the house. I fear for our lives,” said mother Ntswaki Nare.
Nare’s eldest child, Nthabiseng, 9, was forced to miss school after her uniform got wet.
The family had to use buckets to remove the water from their home. “We don’t have food. All our groceries are soaked in water,” said Nare’s brother Donald, 27.
Councillor Zodwa Nxumalo said her ward was the most affected area every time heavy rains were experienced.
She said she became aware of yesterday’s situation after 11am, when she was informed by a community leader.
“I was out of town when I got the message. However, I will go to see the place later when I return,” she said.
In Dube, more than five families were left with damaged furniture, electrical appliances, mattresses and carpets.
Richard Khambule’s perimeter wall collapsed and his neighbour’s vehicle, which was about to be sold, was damaged.
The residents said they were woken up by water entering their houses early yesterday morning.
“By 4am we were already waiting outside on the street. Our houses were filled with water,” Chembeni said.
Johannesburg Water is currently upgrading Soweto’s water infrastructure.
A total of R1.6 billion has been set aside for the project in the greater Soweto area.
The City of Joburg aims to have resolved the problems relating to water in Soweto by 2014.