16 January 2006
The senior managers of the Gauteng Local Government and the Johannesburg
Emergency Services Management (JEMS) last week took to the sky to get a birds'
view of the Johannesburg flood-stricken areas.
Briefing the media after a two-hour helicopter flight to assess the
flood-stricken areas, Colin Deiner, Director of Disaster Management in the
Department of Local Government said the floods have caused extensive damage
especially in informal settlements adjacent to the banks of rivers.
Deiner expressed concern about the number of shacks erected on low-lying
areas adjacent to rivers as fears of more rains were predicted over the
weekend.
"We looked at the historically problem areas - Kya Sands, Alexandra below
the renewal project, Klipspruit, Eldorado Park, Braamfonteinspruit in Milpark
and Protea South in Soweto. These are the problematic areas, and we had to look
at the entire problem," Deiner said.
He said the team identified three problem areas in assessing the areas. "The
first problem is that some shacks are built on the low-lying areas, the second
is people using improvised bridges to cross the river and the third is people
crossing along the low water bridges.
"The aim of the survey was to look at the three problems from two points.
The one is to look at the problem at a response view should such incidents take
place and another one is disaster prevention," Deiner said.
The team established that the floods cause different problems as it
undercuts the side of the river, and that creates problems for people erecting
shacks on the banks of rivers because water cuts underneath the shacks.
"If the river is flooded it therefore washes away those affected shacks and
if people are inside, it creates a serious problem for them and the banks
suddenly collapse. With the river crossing we have people walking on top of
rocks and if the river is strong it creates a situation where a person might be
swept away by the river. The other problem is the bridges which have not been
designed to carry the huge flood load," added Deiner.
He said although the team did not survey the entire Gauteng, they will
engage the Johannesburg Emergency Services where they would have to
respond.
"We are looking at the whole river network system to see where the danger
areas are like the shacks next to the river, improvised bridges where people
are crossing and the low water bridges and we must develop strategies to
control it. We have to practice preventative measures and together with the
Joburg and Ekurhuleni Metros, we are going look at prevention strategies,"
Deiner said.
Hugh Price-Hughes, JEMS Divisional Chief responsible for swift water rescue
operations said affected people have been given temporary shelter in their
respective areas.
He said that water rescuers are on high alert and JEMS was performing
regular river inspections. "We are also monitoring the weather to try to get
medium term reports and re-deploy our resources to bridges we have
identified."
For more information contact:
Enquiries:
Themba Sepotokele
Tel: (011) 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial
Government
16 January 2006
Source: SAPA
