The City of Tshwane’s Emergency Management Services (EMS) has rescued a female driver from a vehicle that was immersed in water during heavy rainfall in Centurion, Pretoria.
The woman was rescued from her vehicle at the corner of End and Rabie streets.
Persistent heavy rains have lashed various parts of Gauteng. The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for disruptive rains in the province.
The Tshwane EMS Spokesperson, Charles Mabaso, has urged motorists to avoid submerged bridges and flooded roads.
Mabaso says, “We also call residents where we have placed barriers or where our community policing forum members and law enforcement agencies have placed barriers not to open and cross the road. Please monitor your children, road conditions are wet be mindful of the driving speed that you are using. And also ensure that your lights are turned on so that you are visible to other road users.”
VIDEO: Tshwane EMS on high alert for heavy rains:
Low-lying areas
The City of Johannesburg’s EMS has urged residents of low-lying areas to be cautious as heavy rains persist.
EMS Spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi says, “Our motorists are still encouraged to exercise caution, extend a safe following distance, and avoid crossing flooded roads and flooded bridges. We got our aquatic rescue unit on high alert. We’re pleading with our residents to work together with us so that we can minimise or prevent further incidents which might occur during these wet weather conditions.”
Western Cape heavy rains
Traffic authorities in the Western Cape have advised motorists to be cautious as heavy rains have flooded roads in George and those leading to the town.
The George Municipality says this includes the N2 Touwsriver bridge in Wilderness.
Officials from the roads agency SANRAL are currently clearing water from the road.
Traffic officials have also closed the Outeniqua Pass, which links Oudtshoorn to George.
Several roads in the CBD have also been closed due to flooding.
North West floods
Heavy rains and thunderstorms have damaged over 100 houses and a block at a local school in Moshana village outside Zeerust in the North West.
Electricity lines have also been damaged and trees uprooted.
Residents have called on the Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality to urgently assist the affected families.
The Councillor for Ward 2, Keemenao Pitso says, “We were hit by a thunderstorm, which destroyed some of the houses, in the village in five sections. Some houses were heavily destroyed, some were destroyed, but in bits and pieces.”
“The houses that I profiled were 111. I’ve asked for help from the municipality. Yesterday they were able to bring in a few tents for me to distribute amongst those who were heavily affected, but the promise is that they will be coming here, to come and assess for themselves the kind of damage that the thunderstorm caused. So, I’m busy right now, helping those who were heavily affected.”
Over-flowing canal
The Sol Plaatje Municipality in Kimberley in the Northern Cape has given assurance that it will soon address the problem of an overflowing canal.
This comes after Kutlwanong residents took to the streets yesterday to protest against water from the canal flooding their homes after heavy rains.
The Municipal Speaker, Nomazizi Shwababa has urged residents to stop dumping refuse into the canal.
Shwababa says, “I spoke to the engineer, Mr Matholo this morning. He has some plans, he’s going to put in place to ensure that canal remains clean.”
-Additional reporting by Sagree Chetty and Itumeleng Kgajane
