JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has initiated an action plan to deal with summer floods which usually affect mobility within the City and the resultant high risk to communities, especially the informal settlements, during this time of the year.
JRA’s Flood Management and Storm Water Plan has three elements, namely proactive maintenance that occurs before the rains, maintenance activities during rains, and flood management activities at hotspot areas on the day of the flooding.
High rainfall patterns over the past few years has significantly impacted Joburg’s road network system and supporting infrastructure.
Earlier this year, severe flooding required R60 million to repair the City’s damaged road infrastructure network, including potholes and storm water drains, and repairs and rehabilitation of nine bridges and culverts.
Work on four of these bridges has already been completed and on-going repairs and rehabilitation on the remaining five bridges will be completed by February 2015.
The Flood Management and Storm Water Plans involves the proactive and reactive maintenance of kerb inlets, identification of flooding hotspots, clearing of channels and culverts; clearing of low lying bridges, as well as the review of Flood line Management plans.
“The City has identified and mapped high flood risk areas, and developed mitigating plans, which include implementation tactics that proactively address hotspot areas. We have duly inspected recurring blockages in the areas which are termed as ‘flooding hotspots’, we are monitoring low level bridges and dangerous river crossings as well as fencing off dangerous open storm water channels and canals,” said Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) Managing Director Mr Skhumbuzo Macozoma.
“The JRA has also established regional standby teams who will be deployed as additional resources in the event of emergencies.”
The flooding hotspot areas identified by the JRA include, but are not limited to, the suburbs of Soweto: Dobsonville, Green-village, Mapetla, Orlando East and Phiri, Doornkop, Braamfisherville, Orange Farm, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, as well as Industria, and Northriding. Home owners along the Klein Jukskei River should also be vigilant of raised water levels and overtopped bridges.
To minimise the possibility of flooding in identified hotspots, the JRA monitors low level bridges and clears debris from under low lying bridges. The plans also include identification of bridges that are experiencing floods and are due for upgrades.
Bridges identified include the Double Decker M1 North and South, M1 Killarney off-ramp, New Canada Bridge, Bridge at Barry Hertzog Ave, Pitse Bridge in Emdeni, Mzilikazi and Lesedinyane Bridge in Dube, Mahalefele and Machaba Bridge in Mofolo Central, Mshiyeni Street in Dlamini and Dynamo Bridge in Power Park.
“We have implemented these tactics to ensure that we minimise the impact of flooding in the identified hotspots,” says Macozoma.
The plans are coordinated by the City’s disaster management task team that consists of Joburg Water, JRA, JMPD, emergency management, social development, housing and urban development.
The JRA also monitors SA Weather Services warnings of severe weather, including imminent danger of flooding, which is immediately communicated to the regions at risk. “Despite the City’s strategies to mitigate potential disasters during this rainy season, we would like to warn our communities that flooding may still occur and road users are urged to obey road signs and traffic signals, especially road closures due to flooded bridges or unsafe driving conditions, and to avoid speeding as roads are wet and slippery.” said Macozoma.
In the event of flooding, members of the public should call the numbers listed below. The Metro Police and SAPS will also barricade all affected roads. The task team will ascertain reasons for flooding, remove debris and clean road surface where possible.
Residents and road users are encouraged to report all road and storm water related emergencies during flooding directly to the 24 hour JRA Regional Standby Teams:
Region A 060 960 0764 (Midrand, Ivory Park, Diepsloot, Fourways, Woodmead); Region B 060 960 0787 (Rosebank, Northcliff, Melville, Auckland Park, Bryanston, Randburg); Region C 060 960 0762 (Western suburbs, Roodepoort, Florida, Bramfischerville); Region D 060 960 0779 (Greater Soweto); Region E 060 960 0760 (Sandton, Alexandria, Houghton Estate); Region F 060 960 0763 (Inner City, Hillbrow, Braamfontein, Parktown); Region G 060 960 0771 (Eldorado Park, Ennerdale, Lenasia, Orange Farm) and Traffic Signals 082 827 8250.
