Mantombi Msibi 67 of Meadowlands and her family of nine were left homeless after heavy floods ravaged parts of Soweto last week.
Mantombi Msibi (67) of Meadowlands and her family of nine were among the victims of last week’s floods that devastated parts of Soweto.
A solemn Msibi told the Mail & Guardian Online on Monday that last year in November when her home was damaged by floodwaters, she took pictures to remind her of all that she lost. She said she’s ‘not eager to ask for help because the floods are recurrentâ€. All she wants to do is move to a better area.
Weather forecaster Lulama Menze said such floods occur ”when storms stay in a certain area for too long, [and] there aren’t enough storm drains that can take the capacity of the waterâ€. She added that ‘early warning could not be given because slow-moving thunderstorms were difficult to trackâ€.
The Msibis are just one of 200 families who were left homeless last week when the Klip River burst its banks between Orlando and Dube, in Soweto.
Three people went missing during the floods on Thursday: a 20-day-old baby, a taxi driver, and a cyclist,” said Percy Morokane, spokesperson of the Johannesburg Emergency Services.
The areas hardest hit by the floods included Mofolo, Dobsonville, Dube, Orlando and Meadowlands.
On Monday afternoon the M&G shadowed emergency service workers who were delivering food parcels to affected residents in Kliptown. It is reported that 80 people from Dlamini alone, a Kliptown squatter camp, have been left homeless.
Joseph Mkhabela (59) who ekes out a living from collecting and selling cans, sat in ‘disbelief that he survived the waterâ€. He and his wife, Puseletso Mkhabela, were ‘awakened by screaming neighbours†as water levels rose on the evening of the floods.
Dlamini squatter camp is situated in a valley near the Klip River, making it most vulnerable to flooding.
”This was one of the worst thunderstorms in a few years. Sowetans have not seen something like this in a while,†Morokane said.
Cost of the damage
Reconstruction and cleaning up after the floods will cost R350-million, the City of Johannesburg said on Monday.
Spokesperson Gabu Tugwana said reconstruction of roads and bridges was under way.
”Water and electricity is now available, while pipes and infrastructure are being repaired. Clean-up operations of debris like sand, soil, stones and bricks are continuing.”
Tugwana said the city was distributing assistance in the form of food, clothing and blankets to affected families.
About 200 families had been identified to receive priority attention, he said.
The city would help cover some of the funeral costs for the 13-year-old girl whose body was recovered at the weekend.
The search for those reported missing was continuing.
The Office of the City Manager and the Jabulani Fire Station were serving as receiving sites for donations.
”The identified needs include school uniforms, school books as well as food.”
The city has dedicated a phone line — 011 375 5920 — to deal with all issues related to the floods, including donations and to provide information on where members of the community can receive assistance.