By 
By Marcus Motshegwa – Communications Specialist at the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
As the country has recently experienced persistent, above normal rainfalls in most parts of the country, the Department of Water and Sanitation has welcomed and received them with gratitude as they have replenished and drastically improved the country’s dam levels.
This is however a bittersweet occurrence to us as South Africans, as we have witnessed the catastrophic results brought about by these heavy rainfalls in some parts of the country.
In KwaZulu Natal, rivers through communities overflowed and caused flash floods that resulted in widespread destruction of properties and even casualties and fatalities among members of the community.
In some communities, poor water drainage systems do not adequately channel water to alleviated high levels of flash floods. These municipal infrastructure failures have also contributed to the devastation that is brought about by the heavy downpours in most parts the country.
The most affected provinces with structural damages of houses are Gauteng and North West. The agricultural sector has also suffered the same fate as the crops were destroyed by the heavy rains.
During the flooding portable water supply and electricity often gets disrupted and people struggle and suffer as a result. In addition to this, flooding brings a lot of diseases and infections. A clarion call is made to all spheres of Government to work together under the banner of Disaster Management, to bring relief to the affected communities.
The Department of Water and Sanitation calls upon the communities that have rivers and streams flowing through them to be cautions during these heavy downpours. People should refrain from the overflowing rivers and dams as the high water flow can be sweep one away, resulting in drownings.
Even in urbanised areas, let us be careful during flash floods. Pedestrians and drivers alike are encouraged to stay away from places of water and should not cross the low lying bridges.
In as much as the rainfalls have brought a relief to some of our dams that have been at low levels for a long time and therefore improving water security, they have brought a demise to other people’s lives.
