Spring has arrived, and with it the promise of renewal. Trees are budding, gardens are greening, and the rains are about to quench a thirsty city. But alongside the beauty of the season lurks a reality that residents know all too well: every storm comes with the risk of disaster.
Johannesburg’s roads and stormwater systems, meant to channel the downpours, are often the very weak points that turn rain into ruin.
Platina bridge in Jukskei Park floods almost as a matter of routine, the low-lying bridge on Witkoppen Road in Sunninghill suffers the same fate, and in one haunting case, a woman’s car was swallowed by raging flash floods in January last year, her fate still uncertain to this day.
Read more: Sunninghill on edge as informal settlement behind Chilli Lane spreads
These are not isolated events; they are warnings etched into the city’s memory, reminders of what happens when infrastructure fails.
Determined to find answers, we spoke to Fourways councillors to ask the hard questions: are their stormwater systems ready for this rainy season, or are residents once again at the mercy of blocked drains and broken promises?
Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe said so far it seems promising in his ward, especially with the constantly flooding Platina bridge, but when asked if it is ready for the wet weather conditions, he changed his tune.
“No, it’s not going to be ready for this season,” he said. “There is nothing that the city is doing to ensure that it does not flood. So, we might expect another flood.”
The bridge has become synonymous with flooding. Each rainy season, water rises over its surface, leaving residents frustrated. Van der Merwe has been at the forefront of this battle for years, often seen on-site during flooding incidents, pressing for solutions.
At one point, he was even told there was no budget to replace the bridge, a setback that left the community feeling abandoned. For the past four years, Van der Merwe has continued to push for answers, highlighting the dangers the flooding poses to motorists and pedestrians alike.
Most recently, after yet another flood, the situation escalated when dangerously exposed power cables were revealed, turning an already hazardous site into a potential death trap.
Still, amid the recurring setbacks, there appears to be a glimmer of hope that this year might finally bring progress.
“They’re going to demolish that bridge and replace it with a new bridge with a wider span. Because at the moment, those things [channels] are narrow. They’re only about three metres wide for the water to come through.
“They’re going to put a channel down with two 13m-wide channels. That’s for next year. It’s going to take nine months to a year for them to repair it.”
In Ward 93, councillor Vino Reddy faces a long-standing battle with Dennis Road, a narrow stretch with no stormwater drainage at all in Lonehill. For years, residents at the bottom of the road have endured flooding, with one household bearing the brunt each rainy season.
Despite repeated complaints to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), little has been done, leaving Reddy to keep pressing for answers as pressured by residents.
The frustration has run so deep that residents eventually paid out of their own pockets to install makeshift curbing, tired of promises that never materialised.
Reddy admits that progress has been slow and unsatisfactory, though he said he was still fighting for a permanent solution.
He warned that without proper intervention, Dennis Road could face yet another round of flooding this season.
Also read: Fourways informal trading and settlements under JMPD spotlight
But that is not all: “Rockview Road has also proven vulnerable to flooding. The road is long, surfaced with asphalt, yet serviced by only a single curb inlet. As a result, stormwater follows its natural downhill flow instead of being directed into proper drainage.
Over the years, several houses have been flooded because the water bypasses the inadequate inlet and pours straight towards residential properties. It’s a recurring problem every rainy season, one that residents say can no longer be ignored.”
Ward 94 faces a different kind of stormwater challenge. Councillor David Foley has been tackling blocked drains across the area, winning a few small battles by pushing for regular cleaning.
One major problem remains on Winnie Mandela Drive, where a large stormwater channel designed to carry huge volumes of water has become a hotspot for a seemingly informal habitation.
People often leave belongings and litter inside the drain, and while Foley has partnered with a local cleaning organisation to clear it, the blockage quickly returns. He warns that this cycle poses a serious hazard: if the drain clogs during heavy rains, the consequences for motorists could be severe.
“This stormwater drain is designed to channel water off the roads into a sluice, which then carries it under Winnie Mandela Drive into the stormwater system on the other side,” he said.
“However, it often turns into a dumping site. When heavy rains come, the litter creates blockages, leading to massive overflows.
I regularly call on the Augmented Field Services unit to clean it, but the real issue is that people shouldn’t be dumping here in the first place. We’ll be monitoring the area to identify who is responsible so that it can be stopped.
“This is just one of many sites that need constant maintenance to ensure stormwater can flow freely, especially during a cloudburst or heavy rains.
Fortunately, we haven’t had flooding incidents here yet, largely because the lady at the nearby nursery always alerts me when litter builds up, and I make sure it gets cleared quickly.”
JRA says it’s hard at work to prevent disastrous results
Responding to concerns, JRA said it was conducting proactive maintenance on stormwater systems citywide, with a focus on flood-prone areas.
“This includes unblocking kerb inlets, clearing stormwater channels and pipes, and conducting level maintenance across all seven regions of Johannesburg,” explained Khayalethu Gqibitole, JRA head of regional operations.
Also read: Drivers warned 30cm of water can sweep cars away on poorly maintained roads
He noted that inspections and maintenance of stormwater systems were done daily, with special attention given to low-lying bridges that required capital upgrades.
“Our teams will continue to clean these areas to reduce the severity of flooding incidents until permanent upgrades can be implemented.”
On the status of the Platina bridge, JRA confirmed that the project was currently at the detail design stage and would involve demolishing and replacing the existing structure with a wider-span bridge.
Meanwhile, the Witkoppen bridge falls under the jurisdiction of the Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport.
The agency also highlighted broader projects underway across Johannesburg, including the conversion of open stormwater channels to underground drains, reconstruction of bridges and culverts, erosion protection, and upgrades of gravel roads to surfaced roads with proper drainage in areas such as Ivory Park, Bramfischerville, Orange Farm, and Diepsloot.
JRA said it had standby regional teams ready to work closely with emergency services when roads were submerged or closed.
Residents are also urged to prioritise safety during heavy rains:
- If caught in a flood, seek higher ground immediately.
- Avoid driving, swimming, or walking through moving water.
- If you are in a vehicle that begins to flood, get onto the roof; if inside a building, move to the highest level, but avoid closed attics where you may become trapped.
- Always contact emergency services and follow their instructions.
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