‘Absolute chaos’ after flooding in the Vaal

“There are people who had a house on Friday and on Sunday morning they only had a foundation. Their entire house was washed away.”

This is according to Storm Zurcher, the community policing forum chairperson of the Loch Vaal neighbourhood watch area, who was referring to the widespread destruction of homes, roads and bridges in Loch Vaal, Vanderbijlpark and other parts of the Vaal after devastating flooding at the weekend.

On Saturday, the department of water and sanitation announced that a further two floodgates had been opened at the Vaal Dam to ease pressure after heavy rains, which unleashed flooding in the region. The total number of floodgates that have been opened stands at 12.

Heavy rain showers means that the Vaal and Orange river system experience rising water levels, the department said, noting how it is continuing to “assess and implement measures to mitigate the effects of the increase”. 

The continuing heavy rains in large parts of South Africa meant that many rivers “are overflowing and most dams are full and spilling”, the department said, urging all residents in settlements along lower areas of the Vaal Dam to move to higher-lying areas.