PICS: Floods leave devastation!

SOWETO residents are picking up the pieces after heavy rain destroyed their homes and left roads in ruin.

When the SunTeam went to the Naledi bridge on Tuesday, 13 December, a car – no more than a wreck – was still stuck near the bridge.

Joburg Roads Agency spokeswoman Bertha Peters-Scheepers told Daily Sun they had closed the Ndaba Street bridge at Mapetla Park in Protea South, along with Phakoe Street bridge in Naledi.

She urged residents to use alternative routes and motorists to exercise caution when travelling along hotspot areas.

Meanwhile, Region G was the worst affected by rain.

A vehicle is still trapped on the stream near Naledi bridge in Soweto which has now closed for safety purposes following heavy rains. Photo by Morapedi Mashashe Photo by

According to MMC for Public Safety David Tembe, in Klipspruit, 11 houses were destroyed and 73 people affected. In Dobsonville, 10 houses including shacks were destroyed, leaving 48 people destitute.

“In Meadowlands next to Dorothy Nyembe, 52 houses were swept away, 42 shacks at Matholesville, 11 in Doornkop and seven in Tshepisong,” said Tembe.

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“Other areas that experienced the wrath of the floods were Protea North, Braamfischerville and Princess squatter camp.

A car is still trapped near the Naledi bridge in Soweto, which has now been closed for safety purposes following heavy rain. Photos by Morapedi Mashashe

“Eldorado Park, Orange Farm, parts of Main Reef Road and Alex also needed assistance.” He said 339 people were affected by floods between the 9 and 10 December, while 269 houses and shacks were swept away.

The flooding was not declared a disaster, but the City of Joburg Disaster Management Centre started a joint operation to monitor and assess the situation.

“Floods have been widely attributed to climate change. The need to achieve the 2030 climate change agenda for sustainable development is now more important than ever.”