We Care 4 Nelspruit unblocked the storm water drains in Ferreira Street just before the heavy rains started.
According to the founder of We Care 4 Nelspruit, Pr TJ Maré, they realised that the rainfall and the state of the drains could result in the road flooding.
Maré said they had been cleaning the pavement and bush in the Elmadré area when they noticed most of the storm water drains were blocked.

ALSO READ: South African Weather Service predicts more rain for the Lowveld

“They were totally blocked with sand and debris, and rainwater would have just run down to the street endangering motorists. After we cleaned them, we revisited them during the rainy week and saw the existing system had been
well built, but not maintained,” he said.

ALSO READ: R536 between Sabie and Hazyview currently closed due to rain damage

Maré also told Lowvelder that the organisation has approached the City of Mbombela (CoM) to come onboard with regard to the maintenance of the City’s storm water drainage system and keeping the city clean.

“We want the municipality to inform us which areas they are going to clean, so that we do not go to there. Our plan is to work with them for the benefit of our town,” he said.
The CoM spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the municipality will check which procedure We Care 4 Nelspruit used to approach it, before he could comment.