Vaal residents pick up the pieces after devastating floods

More than 300 people were displaced in February when the 12 sluice gates at the Vaal dam were opened to release pressure due to the rising levels brought on by weeks of torrential rains.

The water surge wiped away homes, roads, and bridges – including the P175 bridge over the Rietspruit River.   

Sybrand Smit says community members are repairing private low-lying bridge a few meters from the bridge on the Potchefstroom Road.  

“I call this the forgotten community. For years…not in recent times. The people get used to how long it takes [for government] to fix something. The feedback that we got is maybe at the end of the month a contractor will be appointed, but we are on the 2^nd of March today. You can understand that the people can’t wait, because the only alternative they have is a mess. The road was retarred recently, but it’s a mess.” 

During his visit to the dam and the Rand Water barrage depot on Thursday, Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu said he is satisfied that all protocols and operational procedure were followed when the sluice gates were opened.  

However, Mchunu wouldn’t be drawn on who should be held liable for the losses suffered by residents.   

“Government, there’s no doubt, remains accountable…if there’s somebody whose property was damaged, we need to engage and we need to look at where they are and what happened.”  

 He adds that there were other factors that contributed to the floods, such as flash floods at the Suikerbos and Rietspruit rivers. 

The minister says there need to be deliberations on how to discourage settlements along flood lines.   

“We are going to have to discuss the possibility of a new dispensation where if you settle on a flood plain you do so consciously and at your own risk.”  

Mchunu however acknowledged the recent floods were unprecedented, and that the effects of climate change are unpredictable making planning difficult.