Residents in Rooihuiskraal North and Wierda Park are breathing a sigh of relief, thanks to the metro’s recent efforts to address flooding concerns in the area ahead of the rainy season.

The metro’s work has been widely welcomed by the community, who say it brings much-needed peace of mind.

Ward 69 councillor Cindy Billson said the metro’s roads and stormwater department undertook extensive maintenance work in early October.

This focused on cleaning the open concrete channel that runs between Bishop Bird Park and Bishop Bird Street, as well as the stormwater line and bridge opening along Theuns van Niekerk Street, situated between Wierda Glen Estate and Bishop Bird Park.

According to Billson, the work involved mechanical and manual cleaning, during which teams removed silt, vegetation, and debris that had been obstructing the natural water flow.

They also cleared the side drains feeding into the main channel to ensure the system functions optimally.

“The work commenced during the first week of October and was completed by October 11. The teams have confirmed the site is now cleared and the channel is fully functional,” Billson said.

She explained the issue of the blocked channel had been ongoing since early 2023 and that she had continuously escalated it through the regional roads and stormwater section and during quarterly oversight engagements.

Billson said the main challenge had been capacity constraints and competing priorities within the Centurion Management Team, which caused delays despite recurring flooding concerns, particularly near Pietersielie Place in Rooihuiskraal North.

“During the 2023/24 rainy season, the area experienced localised flooding, especially around Pietersielie Place, where water backed up due to blockages in the Bishop Bird channel and the culvert under Theuns van Niekerk Street,” she said.

“That incident reinforced the urgency for proper maintenance and proactive clearing.”

She is pleased the metro has now completed the work it initially promised, including the cleaning of the bridge opening under Theuns van Niekerk Street.

“While minor follow-up inspections may still be needed before the next rainy period, the main work has been executed as part of the city’s routine stormwater maintenance schedule.”

Highlighting the broader benefits, Billson said the clearing of these stormwater channels significantly improves water flow capacity, reduces surface flooding, and enhances road and pedestrian safety, especially during heavy rains.

It also helps protect nearby properties from water damage and reduces pressure on secondary drainage lines.

“This kind of proactive maintenance is particularly important in Centurion, which is prone to sinkholes,” said Billson.

She added that residents have responded very positively to the intervention.

“Many have expressed relief and gratitude that the issue was finally addressed. This has also strengthened collaboration between residents, the city, and the ward office in maintaining the area going forward.”

Resident Joel Mothokwa was impressed with the work done by the metro.

“I am really happy with the work that the metro has done. They cleaned the channel very well, and it looks much better now.”

Another resident, Agnes Strydom, said the work has brought a noticeable sense of relief to the community.

She explained that residents had long been worried about the flooding risk every time it rained heavily, especially because the blocked channel had previously caused water to overflow into nearby streets.

“It’s a huge relief. You can see the difference; the water will be able to flow freely again. I think everyone here feels grateful that the metro actually came through.”

She also said that the visible improvement has given residents renewed confidence in the city’s ability to respond to local concerns when the proper channels of communication are maintained.

Before the project began, metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo explained that the maintenance at Bishop Bird Park formed part of routine stormwater management and was not a new capital project.

He said at the time that the maintenance work would involve removing sediment and obstructions from the concrete channel and the bridge opening under Theuns van Niekerk Street, funded through the Region 4 stormwater maintenance budget.

Mashigo indicated that the work was expected to commence around mid-September 2025 and would take a maximum of two weeks to complete.

He also clarified that no environmental impact assessment was required, since the activity merely involved cleaning the existing channel and not altering its structure.

“The purpose of this work is to ensure proper flow of stormwater in the channel,” he said.

He noted that work of this kind is prioritised according to urgency and budget availability, and although the sedimentation in the Bishop Bird channel was not yet at a critical stage, early intervention was necessary to prevent future complications.

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