The Democratic Alliance (DA) has obtained the assurance of Phokwane municipality, with the assistance of Vaalharts Water, that they will urgently address the flooding of roads and erven, caused by spillage from a saturated retention dam in Jan Kempdorp.
The DA submitted a written request for an intervention last week, after receiving numerous complaints about the state of Henry Ferreira Street, which has become potholed, muddy and undriveable due to the ongoing water spillage. The road is hazardous to motorists and school buses, making it difficult for residents to get to work, school and town.
The municipality has acknowledged that water is spilling from the retention dam and flows to the gravel road leading to the research station, where it enters Newtown area, further causing some erven and Silwerboom Street to flood. The water then runs all the way through town until after the hospital, where it goes into the stormwater channel. When it rains, the stormwater of Guldenskap New Settlement further flows towards the gravel road at the research station, also flooding Newtown.
The DA acknowledges the speedy response by the municipality to this worsening crisis. We take note of communication sent by the municipality to Vaalharts water, to request assistance with redirecting backwash water from the purification works and also stormwater overflow. We also welcome the commitment by Vaalharts Water to avail a grader and an excavator to dig a water channel to redirect the water to a drainage canal, and to prevent further flooding of the road and the Newtown area.
Work on the water channel is due to get underway next week. The DA will closely monitor developments, and continue to fight for safe and drivable roads, and the maintenance of water infrastructure, in Phokwane.