WATCH: Hail and heavy downpours wreak havoc in Alrode
Heavy rain and hail wreaked havoc in a large number of businesses in Alrode South, leaving them with a devastating aftermath, due to blocked stormwater drains.
Just when Alrode South businesses begin the year with much expectation of trying to return to a satisfactory situation, they suffer a major blow leaving them with catastrophic losses.
Heavy downpours and hail hit Alberton on January 16, resulting in Alrode South businesses suffering damage.
The heavy rainfall flooded a number of businesses due to blocked stormwater drains leading to damage to properties and affecting production as many businesses try to pick up the pieces.
With the rainy season upon us, the state of stormwater channels in Alrode South has left many entrepreneurs feeling helpless as they foresee their properties in ruins.
In not more than 10 minutes, Alrode South’s ALB Civils, QPS Plumbing, KBI Engineering and Stan’s Clasic Repairs collectively incurred damages estimated to run close to a R1m.
Underlying issues
The concern is that during heavy downpours not only do factories get flooded, a number of roads become unusable.
Hail and heavy downpours wreak havoc in Alrode pic.twitter.com/bFHpI5DlAX
— Alberton Record (@RecordAlberton) January 23, 2024
After moving into the area just recently, Stanley Hodkinson of Stan’s Clasic Repairs has cried foul amid the flooding.
“I have suffered at least R500 000 worth of losses due to this flooding. Everything is wet inside, everything must get cleaned. The water came in so quickly and there wasn’t time to move the stuff. All the engines are soaked, my wiring machines and generators are damaged,” he said.
He spent the night trying to get water out of the property in an effort to save some items. In addition to the losses, he needed to get extra workers to clean up the property to work again.
Ward 94 Clr Samantha Nair expressed her deepest sentiments to the several affected businesses.
Heavy rain and hail wreaked havoc in a large number of businesses in Alrode South, leaving them with a devastating aftermath, due to blocked stormwater drains. pic.twitter.com/cGcZqOmaO1
— Alberton Record (@RecordAlberton) January 23, 2024
“I’m going to take up the issues with the city manager and the customer relations manager of Alberton, obviously something needs to be done. I now have a private company that is going to clean the channel at their cost, hopefully, if they clean out the channel water will be able to flow,” she said.
“It doesn’t have to come to this when these businesses are paying millions of rands a month for rates and taxes.
“They are the bread and butter of the economy and if this is what they have to face I don’t think it’s fair. And for the city to keep saying that there’s no budget is unfair for the businesses,” Nair said.
