Urgent action needed as Plumstead residents suffer from recurring flash floods

Residents of Tynemouth Road in Plumstead have raised concerns following repeated incidents of flash flooding during heavy storms, with some reporting significant property damage and long-standing anxiety.

Recent storms once again caused flooding along the street, a problem residents say has been ongoing for years during periods of intense rainfall.

Jason Smith said these flash floods ended up flooding through their entire homes. “It happens around two to three times a year and there is no resolution,” he said.

Mr Smith has been living in the area for 12 years and said the floods have been a regular occurrence since he moved in. He said last year, he had to make insurance claims of over R800 000 as a result of the damage the flood caused his house.

Another Tynemouth Road resident, who has been staying there for over 27 years and prefers to remain anonymous, said the cause and solution of the flood needed to be sorted out. “Every time there is heavy rain our road floods, the water rises onto our property and into our homes, which causes damage to our property,” she said. The resident said that the flooding causes anxiety in the street. “If it rains at night, we wonder if we are going to be woken up surrounded by water,” she said.

An elderly Tynemouth Road resident, who is 89 years old and also wished to remain anonymous, said she lives alone. She said the flooding has caused significant damage to her carpets. “I thank my neighbour for helping me put sandbags which are used to block the water from coming inside my house,” she said. 

Ward 63 Councillor Carmen Siebritz did a site visit on Friday July 11, when the water was already cleared up in the street. Many residents shared their grievances with her.

Ms Siebritz said after speaking with residents and with the City’s urban mobility directorate, the main cause of the flooding is that the culvert is, in fact, higher than the catchment pit.

“It’s definitely a cause for concern, in that residents' homes are flooding and costing them exorbitant amounts of money either to repair damages to their properties or purchasing sandbags and other resources to prevent possible damages,” she said.

She said the issue has been ongoing for around 20 years, according to residents. A site meeting was held on Monday 14 July with officials from the City. “The discussion went well and an additional team from the Catchment Management team will now come to site in a bid to repair the historical issue,” she said. However, she warned that the fix will not be quick and will come at a high cost.

Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, said stormwater from Tynemouth Road discharges into the stormwater system in Prince George Drive Service Road. “High intensity and long duration rainfall events can lead to this system exceeding capacity, resulting in localised flooding,” he said.

He added that once the rain stops, the system drains as normal. “The City undertakes regular maintenance such as pipe and gully cleaning to ensure the stormwater system functions as expected. However, any issues of blocked stormwater drains can be reported to the City’s Transport Information Centre on 0800 656 463,” he said.

Mayoral committee member for finance, Siseko Mbandezi, said residents affected by flooding may submit claims to the City’s Insurance Claims Section. “This includes, but is not limited to invoices in respect of the costs incurred in respect of any reasonable repairs, provided that such repairs are directly attributable to the flood event,” he said.

Mr Mbandezi said that each claim is assessed on its own merit, which includes assessment of whether there has been any negligence or omission on the City’s side. Residents may visit the City’s website to find and complete the City’s public liability claim form.

For more information about the submission of a claim, visit the City’s website: http://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Claim-or-dispute/Complaints-and-claims-against-the-City/Submit-a-claim-against-the-City