Houses still flooded after dam overflows
IRATE Club 2000 residents are demanding compensation for damages to their houses that were flooded when the Tlhageng retention dam overflowed following heavy rains.
They stated that they were called to the Sol Plaatje municipal offices on January 25 to collect their compensation, only to be told that the municipality “had no money”.
“We were again at the municipal offices this week but now they are playing hide and seek. We have been taken for fools and we do not buy the story that there is no money . . . we are sick and tired of their lies.
“This is while more rain is predicted. Our houses also become flooded whenever it rains and until today the Tlhageng dam has not been fixed. Despite promises from the municipality, we have been left high and dry. It is not our fault that the insurance company is refusing to pay out the claim due to the negligence of the municipality. They failed to take the necessary steps to upgrade the dam,” residents added.
Insurance brokers Guardrisk declined to pay out the municipality’s claim as it indicated that the local authority was aware of similar claims in the Vergenoeg area, where no precautions were taken to mitigate the losses or minimise damage to infrastructure.
The stormwater channel was found to be in a state of disrepair due to a lack of maintenance and was unable to adequately channel the water.
Council has acknowledged that the cause of the damages was due to stormwater deficiencies at the Tlhageng dam.
It resolved in January to pay out an estimated R5 million from its internal insurance fund after each property owner had been assessed for any debt owed to the municipality.
“Legal challenges” prevented the upgrading of the dam during the 2020/21 financial year.
The spokesperson for Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thoko Riet, said the municipality was seeking legal advice to review the decision of the insurance brokers to reject the claim.
“We have taken all the details of the affected addresses and have made the necessary assessments,” said Riet.
