An aerial view of Mamelodi after floods in Tshwane.
Photo: Twitter/@CityTshwane
Tshwane floods: Trapped residents chase away emergency-services
Residents of Eerste Fabriek informal settlements in Tshwane who were on rooftops of their dwellings chased away emergency services teams.
An aerial view of Mamelodi after floods in Tshwane.
Photo: Twitter/@CityTshwane
Residents of Eerste Fabriek informal settlements in Mamelodi chased away the Tshwane Emergency Services after trying to evacuate them to a shelter. This, after heavy rainfall and thunderstorms ravaged various parts of Tshwane on Friday night and early Saturday.
On 9 December 2019, more than 700 shacks at the very same informal settlement were swept away by floods. The residents previously slammed the City of Tshwane for its “empty promises” after they were promised to be relocated. They said they were fed up because they could not access certain services as their squatter camp was not recognised.
FLOOD VICTIMS TURN AWAY TSHWANE EMERGENCY SERVICES
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson, Charles Mabaso said they worked around the clock responding to multiple flooding incidents. Flooding in Eerste Fabriek Banana Bridge was reported and about 800 people were affected.
“Emergency Services and disaster management teams were dispatched to the area. A Gauteng EMS, 23-seater busses and 16 Tshwane bus services were mobile to evacuate people to temporary accommodations. Two SAPS choppers conducted an aerial assessment of the area and identified about 60 people on rooftops of their dwellings.
“The people however, when the members of the SAPS and rescue teams tried to evacuate them, hurled insults at the teams and threw them with objects. Community leaders, ward councillors were busy engaging in efforts to persuade the people to evacuate.”
Mabaso added households that were affected by the flooding and offered social relief by the Social Development and Disaster Risk Management are from Eesterust, Mamelodi (information settlements), Gomora in Pretoria West, Soshanguve Block KK, Onverwacht in Cullinan, Hamanskraal and Marikana in Centurion.
City of Tshwane mayor, Randall Williams commended the swift response by MMC’s in assisting victims. Williams was also on the ground overseeing operations and assessing the damage caused by the flooding.
