Management of the Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) confirmed that they were aware of the constant flooding in Westergloor, but would resolve the matter only as soon as their budget allowed.

Read initial article here: ‘We need help with flooding in Westergloor!’

In their response to questions posed by the Herald after at least eight homes were flooded on January 14, municipal spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa said their Department of Infrastructure responsible for roads and storm water maintenance was working around the clock to help where they can.

Asked why the issue had been left unresolved for an extended period, Montshiwa said it was due to the municipality’s financial constraints, and as a result they couldn’t do much.

In this specific area of Westergloor, the municipality managed to divert the storm water that cause the flooding to the nearest channels.

“The municipality has acquired the services of contractors in the current financial year to assist with such challenges, as we currently don’t have enough resources.”

Montshiwa also refuted residents’ claims that the flooding was the result of poor maintenance of the storm water drains, causing them to remain blocked for long periods.

Instead, he attributed the problem to excessive rainfall, theft and vandalism of infrastructure.

The theft and vandalism of steel in the storm water channels contribute to our storm water infrastructure continuously failing, which lead to blockages when it rains,” Montshiwa added.