Pretoria - The City of Tshwane said yesterday that it had been forced to close Rietvlei Nature Reserve until further notice because of the heavy rains that have lashed Pretoria since Saturday.
The City’s Emergency Services spokesperson, deputy chief Roland Hendricks, said driving conditions were poor, with slippery roads and reduced visibility.
He said, however, that although they had received several reports of fallen trees in the suburb of Hatfield, no other issues were reported.
“We strongly urge the public to avoid crossing rivers, swollen streams and low-lying bridges. We also recommend moving to higher ground if rising floodwaters threaten one’s safety.
“We continue to monitor informal settlements and low bridges that are known flooding hot spots, and remain on high alert. We will continue to monitor any further developments relating to this weather system and will deploy the necessary resources.
“Communities are urged to, where possible, regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio. Any emergencies can be reported to the City’s Emergency Services Department,” said Hendricks.
Mike Shupang, of Cemetery View informal settlement, east of the city, said in times like these they worried about possible fires because people desperately needed to keep warm and protect children from the cold.
“The fires that broke out in Plastic View and Cemetery View over the years did so when it was cold.”
In Johannesburg, members of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department were trending after images circulated showing them removing water from potholes using buckets.
The South African Weather Service has predicted a high probability of showers and thundershowers for most of Gauteng over the Easter weekend.
But some relief was expected in the province before then. The “weatherman” predicted partly cloudy weather for most of the week, becoming mostly clear by Thursday.
Meanwhile, recent heavy rains are estimated to have caused over R11 billion worth of damages to roads.
“Based on the initial assessments conducted by provincial road authorities, the extent of the damages is estimated at R11 919 909 965 in the various provinces,” Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has revealed.
The information Mbalula released accounted for seven provinces. Gauteng, which continued to have heavy rain, and the Western Cape were not among them.
The over R11bn was money that a number of municipalities needed to rehabilitate the roads. It was basically a shortfall they experienced despite some having reprioritised funds.
Mpumalanga’s Bohlabela, Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande and District Nkangala District municipalities have just R4 million for roads rehabilitation, and were short of a whopping R157.6m.
Capricorn, Sekhukhune, Waterberg, Vhembe and Mopani municipalities in Limpopo have a combined R29.3m, while they need R2bn.
Of the R309m they need, the Northern Cape’s Frances Baard, John Taolo Gaetsewe, Namaqua, ZF Mgawu and Pixley ka Seme municipalities do not even have a cent.
Mbalula said the R11bn needed to be rechannelled from the budget to fix the damaged roads.
“The reconstruction and rehabilitation to infrastructure damaged by floods, including road infrastructure will depend on the approval of budget reprioritisation and allocation of additional funds by the National Disaster Management Centre and National Treasury,” he said.
“The national government shall assist provinces through the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant and municipalities through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, as allowable within the provisions of these grant frameworks in terms of the Division of Revenue Act.”
Pretoria News