Protests over flooded houses
RESIDENTS of a Mahikeng suburb in the North West braved heavy rains and barricaded roads with burning tyres to protest about flooding in their houses.
Residents of Extension 38, better known as Smarties, said while they understood that almost all of Mahikeng was flooded, their situation was different.
Resident Lerato Mokoto said she did not know where she and her family were going to sleep. Her flooded two bed-roomed RDP had rainwater up to 30 metres high inside. She said there was always flooding in her house because it was close to a stormwater drain.
“I’m helpless, it’s like we are outside. The water is all over,” she said, while carrying her two-year-old baby.
Other community members tried helping her to clear the water but it was pointless as her yard was flooded.
Mokoto said her wardrobe was damaged by the floods the last time it rained.
“I can’t risk buying a new wardrobe every time it rains. I’m crying because I know that we will experience this again,” she said.
The Sowetan team visited seven flooded houses in the area. The RDP houses were apparently build eight years ago.
Tshepo Mpolokeng is one of the affected residents.
“This place is not suitable for housing. I could not go to work because I had to keep on sweeping the water out of the house,” he said.
Community leader Tumisho Mokgosi said they were more worried about their children.
“This is a disaster. They built us these RDP houses and we were grateful, but we did not know that they were throwing us into a pit that would one day be filled with water.
“Our children run the risk of drowning because of the floods,” he said.
Mokgosi said they decided to block roads during the rain to voice their anger.
“Our area is so filthy, so you can imagine the dirty water mixing with the rubbish. We will all get sick,” Mpolokeng added.
Ward 7 councillor Sello Molefe said he had tried on numerous occasions to engage the municipality about the residents’ problematic situation.
“I am also concerned because I live here. I have tried addressing this problem with the municipality but nothing positive has happened,” he said.
Molefe said Ward 7 was budgeted for in the 2017/2018 budget.
“We are waiting for the integrated development plan budget first, maybe something positive will come up.”
Mahikeng mayor Betty Diakanyo said flooding was happening everywhere but promised that the municipality would try and redirect the water.
“We are experiencing flooding everywhere in the city. Their situation will get better when it stops raining. We’ll send a task team that will come up with a plan to redirect the water,” she said.