Over R400m needed to repair Joburg storm damage - Phalatse
The cost of rehabilitating areas affected by recent heavy rains will cost an estimated R421 million, according to City of Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse.
Phalatse and Members of the Mayoral Committee on Wednesday visited Roodepoort and the surrounds as part of their in loco inspections of ongoing humanitarian and clean-up operations following days of destructive rain in parts of the city.
The Mayor has submitted a report to the provincial and national disaster management to declare parts of flood-stricken Johannesburg as disaster.
“We had done a costing exercise and we had arrived at a figure of about R300 million for what it would take for us to rehabilitate all the areas that have been affected by the floods. That number has now risen R421 million. The good news is that national and province have both been to the city to do their assessments, we are awaiting their feedback on whether or not there’s concurrence that we need to declare a state of disaster,” says Phalatse.
She says in the inspection visits, they had noticed a similar trend in areas worst hit by the relentless downpours.
“Unfortunately what we are seeing is a repeat of the same picture in different parts of the city. We are seeing that people who are vulnerable and marginalized settle in areas that aren’t suitable. They settle along floodlines, in wetlands, and when it rains and it floods theres continuous and recurrent problems.”
The mayor says her team is working to relocate some affected residents, and in areas where communities have settled on private land. They are in talks with owners about the possibility of the city taking over ownership.
Phalatse stressed that while a more permanent solution is being sought, land availability remains a challenge against the high demand for housing.
The mayor says she’s written to Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi after noting that the highest demand is from undocumented migrants.
Phalatse distributed food and hygiene packs to vulnerable families in Lindhaven and other areas.
She also inspected the damage to the storm water channel along Wilgerood Road which was damaged, causing the road to be closed temporarily.
The mayor also reports that after being given the three-day reprieve by Eskom, City power managed to attend to 60% of the electricity outages in the Roodepoort area.
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