Pretoria – The torrential rain on Sunday night wreaked havoc across Tshwane, affecting parts of the east.
Tshwane Emergency Services Spokesperson Charles Mabaso said some houses in Nellmapius extension 4, Willow Park Manor and Constantia Glen reported flooding of their homes, but no major damage was experienced and no life was lost, nor were there any injuries.
“We, however, have dispatched operation crews to monitor known hotspots so as to be able to be pro-active.”
One of the affected residents in Willow Park Manor, Lulu van der Spuy, said she woke up to knee high water in the house, and large pieces of furniture floating around the lounge.
“I started screaming like a banshee as water was gushing through the door, when I opened the door the water came in at full force, nearly drowning one of my cats.
“People in the complex came to help open the front door as it was stuck, there were noises as the water was hitting objects and moving stuff around. One of the garage doors came off the hinges and all of this was happening in the pitch dark as the power had gone off.
“All of my furniture was moving around, and big appliances like the washing machine and fridge were flooded. The couches were floating and one of them went through the window. I do not know how much I have lost, I am under insured, and just to revamp the furniture I am looking at over R30 000 and weeks worth of fixing the place.
“The water also damaged the oven, I cannot switch the power on because everything trips. When all of this was happening, I was frightened but thought I am grateful to be alive, the furniture and everything can be replaced but my life is worth more.
“I have a mentally handicapped sister, I cannot imagine it if she was here.”
She said the rain was severe and destructive, knocking down the complex wall and ruining the electric fence.
Another resident, Damian Patterson, said: “It seems to be getting worse when it rains, the river next to us, which is an artery to the Pienaars River, floods when it rains, the area is getting built up and drains are blocked and that seems to be a problem.”
He said the lack of maintenance of stormwater drains was also an issue.
Pretoria News