Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
| by Grantham Steenkamp, MPL – DA Northern Cape Spokesperson of COGHSTA Date: 19 March 2020Release: Immediate The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is concerned about the ongoing flooding risk presented to residents by an unmaintained canal in Warrenton and we will refer the matter to COGHSTA MEC, Bentley Vass, for an intervention. The canal is fed by three bridges that allow storm water coming from Ikutseng to flow to the river via this canal. The canal, however, is not cemented and has become overgrown with bulrushes, which normally grow in marshes. The bulrushes have spread uncontrollably and are currently hampering the flow of water to a very large extent. The canal, which had not been cleaned since at least 2011, if not before then, was eventually cleaned about two years ago, after a complaint by DA councillor Willem Potgieter. It has not, however, been cleaned since. In effect, the canal does not have the capacity to handle big volumes of water emanating from downpours of more than 30 millimeters, especially when the rain falls quickly. This in turn causes the canal to overflow, damaging the property of neighbouring residents. A recent downpour of 30 minutes, which saw 60 millimeters of rain measured, wreaked havoc along the banks of the canal. Due to the obstructions in the canal, stormwater flowed into yards. The houses of residents staying in the vicinity of the canal in Erasmus, Uys, Van Wyk and Joubert streets, have been the hardest and experience the most damage. Due to there being no proper storm water infrastructure in Ikutseng and Warrenton, storm water also flows along the streets, turning them into mini canals. From there, it flows through the veld to the N12, and again through the veld to the canal. Given that Magareng municipality doesn’t have the resources to resolve the issues and is not even in a position to assist those who suffer damages, the DA is escalating the matter to COGHSTA for assistance. The only permanent solution to this problem will be to build a customised cement canal suitable to handle the volumes of water occurring during the rainy season, in order to prevent recurring damage to residents’ property. The DA hopes COGHSTA takes this matter seriously before more damage is incurred by the residents, or worse – before lives are lost. |
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