‘Church can’t practice what it preaches,’ says flood-hit Diepsloot family
The families say they’ve been left to suffer in silence as flooding continues to destroy their homes, allegedly because a nearby church was built over a natural waterway.
Despite being given multiple opportunities to respond, the leaders of a Diepsloot church allegedly contributing to local flooding have remained silent.
Several calls, messages, and a formal media query were sent to Boitumelo and Kgosi Rahube, who are alleged to own the church reportedly built on a site that resident Sharon Mashilane claimed obstructs a natural drainage route.
The query sought to clarify whether the church was constructed with approved building and zoning plans, whether the owners were aware that the site lies along a natural drainage line, and what measures—if any—had allegedly been taken to prevent flooding or assist affected families.
Read more: WATCH: Home owners says church construction responsible for flooding
No response was received by the publication deadline, and follow-up attempts were ignored.
Ward 95 councillor Julius Maake also declined to comment on the matter after multiple follow-ups, stating that journalists only contact him when there are problems in his ward and ignore the positive work he claims to do for the community.
Maake acknowledged awareness of the flooding but refused to disclose what steps he has allegedly taken to address it since assuming office in 2021.
Fourways Review reminded Maake that he had not invited the publication to any of his ‘good’ programmes and that the issue was raised by a concerned family he represents.
When asked to comment further, he said: “Please call me first to talk about the tour I did to address gangsterism in the area before that, and then we will talk about the floods. Bye,” he said before hanging up.
Meanwhile, Mashilane says her family has been left in despair, describing years of destruction and loss whenever heavy rains fall.
@caxtonjoburgnorth Sharon Mashilane’s family had to find alternative accommodation after their home was flooded due to a church structure allegedly built on a natural water flow path. Video: Ditiro Masuku #LocalNews #trendingviralvideo #caxtonlocalmedia #SANEWS #Gauteng ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
“There is no sense of remorse at all from the church, especially when we talk about how our properties got damaged as a result of this flooding.”
On October 9, Mashilane’s home was allegedly inundated, damaging essential belongings.
According to the family, the flooding was allegedly caused by the nearby church, which they claim was built directly over the natural flow of water that channels runoff toward the Jukskei River.
Also read: Pipe fixed but danger remains as Paulshof repair site left open
They claim they have repeatedly raised concerns with the alleged church owners, asking them to rebuild or modify their boundary wall to allow proper water drainage. To date, no solution has been reached.
“We made it clear that we have no issue with churches being built in the area—they play an important role in our community. However, that particular site was never meant for construction. It’s part of the natural drainage route where rainwater should be flowing freely.”
Mashilane said they are now gathering signatures to have the problem addressed permanently.
Sibusiso Langa, Chief Planner from the Department of Development Planning, was contacted for comment. The article will be updated once a response is received.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
