We live in a DA stronghold, Johannesburg (Orchards) Ward 74 (represented by Councillor Dave Fisher)

Our neighbourhood is home to an open-air storm water channel that has overflowed and has caused a minimum of three devastating floods over the past seven years. Specifically – the area is downstream from the Patterson Park, running through Orchards as it crosses Iris, Garden, Oaklands and Orchards roads, through the communal Park and alongside Norwood Mall. The two most recent floods were in a 24 month period (9th November 2016 & 27th November 2017), in both cases all but destroying the houses adjoining the channel. These events have been consistently, individually and collectively brought up with various branches of local government since they began, notably with our Councillor, escalated to the Mayor, with the JRA, Citizen Relationship & Urban management, etc. At the time of writing – despite endless correspondence, meetings and placations … categorically there has been no action on site!

These houses, if you will look at the valuation role, are in the R 2 – 5m range. Consequently some of these residents have not been able to rebuild as they have outstanding insurance claims that cannot be settled until such time as the Council repairs the storm water channel which was also damaged in the floods (initially damaged in the first flooding and progressively in the other floods and heavy storms as time has elapsed without any repairs). This has caused many of these residents, already traumatised, to decide to rather not re-occupy post flooding and to instead sell their properties, as they stand (i.e. flood damaged) at “land value”. My next door neighbour (52 Garden Road, xxx) and my neighbour across the road (51 Garden Road, xxx) are such examples. I know of at least 4 others on other roads in the area as well. Consequently the property values in the area have been tremendously adversely affected (where your neighbour’s property was once worth R 4m and has now traded at R 1,4m – suddenly your house is worth half of what it used to be).

Despite the now obvious pattern (storms & floods in November 2016 and November 2017, and it’s just about 2018 now …) our attempts at engaging with our local authorities have resulted in much talk and no action. As the incidents have repeated, so the infrastructure has become more and more damaged and each incident is incrementally worse than the last. When, we wonder, will our local authorities take action? Will it take the loss of life, Heaven forbid? This is a situation of which they have much fore-knowledge.

There are other residents in the area, who may not have as loud voices as I do, but were far more affected (having lost their homes and possessions).
1. Mr xxx for example, a who lives at xxx Oaklands Road (xxx). Mr xxx is an Engineer who has even prepared a full hydrology report on this situation, which has been distributed and shared with all of the experts within Council who are meant to be involved in this process. Mr xxx, like me, is doing a lot of engaging and chasing and following up, and yet we are no closer than we ever were.
2. Mrs xxxl, who was struck twice (xxx)
3. Mr xxx, who has lived in the area for 35 years and suffered substantial damage in the last 2 floods (xxx)
These 3, who are directly abutting the storm water channel, suffered far more damage than I did and are happy to co-operate.

Please feel free to contact me for contact details
Marc Zlotnick
52A Garden Road, Orchard Johannesburg