CHRISTMAS PROMISE

THE City of Ekurhuleni yesterday said by Christmas it would have made the lives of those hit by the floods better.

“We are in a process of collecting data from areas we identified as hotspots that were most affected by the flash floods,” spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said. “This data will be sent to the province because we need funds. Our budget is not enough to fix the infrastructural damage.”

“These facilities are designed to hold a certain amount of water. But with the natural disaster, the drainage may not be able to hold it,” Dlamini said.

He said some of the work they were doing was typical municipal work, such as fixing potholes.

“But obviously from the floods, the roads will need more work.

“Our disaster management team has been going to hotspots like Katlehong, Vosloorus and Thokoza to fix what we can and collect data,” he added.

Ekurhuleni has already spent R64 million to increase the capacity of storm-water drainage, said Dlamini.

“We want to normalise residents’ lives before Christmas.”