JOUBERTINA – Residents of Joubertina and the greater Langkloof area have demonstrated remarkable resilience and community spirit as they continue to navigate the challenges brought about by recent flood damage, disrupted municipal services and the closure of the R62.

As previously reported, the R62 between Kareedouw and Joubertina collapsed following heavy rains in May, while severe weather battered towns across the Eastern Cape.

Joubertina resident, property owner and president of the local chamber of commerce, Anton van der Mescht, said the situation remains critical, particularly with ongoing water and sewage challenges.

According to Van der Mescht, the KouKamma Municipality’s honey sucker trucks, which are used to drain sewage, are unable to access the area via their usual route because of the damaged R62.

As a result of the damage to the R62, he alleges that the honey sucker trucks, which are based in Kareedouw, are meant to travel through George before heading to Joubertina, significantly increasing travel times.

“Consistent service from the municipality has been a challenge for many years; however, the recent flood and damage to the R62 have made the situation even more challenging,” said Van der Mescht.

Van der Mescht said Joubertina has also been without water for weeks.

While he is fortunate to have access to borehole water on his properties, many residents do not have the same option.

“Receiving water from the municipality has also been a challenge,” said Van der Mescht.

In response, community members have stepped in to assist one another.

Van der Mescht and other residents regularly load 1,000-litre water tanks onto their bakkies and distribute borehole water to those in need.

Residents and local churches have also opened access to their boreholes to help the community obtain water.

“Since the municipality is so unreliable, the community has banded together and relies on one another for assistance,” said Van der Mescht.

He said the community has increasingly focused on becoming self-sufficient due to ongoing service delivery difficulties.

Van der Mescht added that residents have frequently funded services themselves when municipal assistance was not forthcoming.

“Many services meant to be rendered by the municipality have been paid for by the residents themselves,” said Van der Mescht.

He also believes that water consumption in the area currently exceeds what the local reservoirs can pump, contributing to the ongoing shortages.

Despite the hardships, Van der Mescht said the response from residents has been inspiring. “It is an understatement to say that I am proud of my community,” said Van der Mescht.

“The community has pulled together to assist one another. I am proud to be a part of this community.”

The spirit of cooperation has also extended beyond water relief efforts.

Van der Mescht said that local farmers recently constructed a detour route that can be used by 4×4 vehicles, providing a temporary alternative for some travellers while the R62 remains inaccessible.

He further described the recent flooding as the most severe the Langkloof area has experienced in many years. “It was a flood of magnitude,” said Van der Mescht.

He noted that some residents remain effectively isolated due to damaged roads and limited access routes.

“It is a critical situation without road, water and sewage drainage,” said Van der Mescht. “It is not an easy situation.”

While acknowledging the ongoing difficulties, Van der Mescht remains optimistic about the community’s ability to support one another.

He added that residents remain eager to see the restoration of essential infrastructure.

“We pay our rates and taxes, yet we do not receive the necessary services from the municipality,” said Van der Mescht.

Adding to the frustration, he said that they are cut off from Kareedouw and are desperate to have the R62 fixed to be able to travel again.

South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) first confirmed on 7 May that the affected section of the R62 had been closed following the collapse of the road between Kareedouw and Joubertina.

At the time, SANRAL advised motorists to use the alternative route via the N2 to the Western Cape.

On 14 May, the SANRAL spokesperson, Lwando Mahlasela, said an initial meeting had been held with engineers and that a surveyor would first need to determine the extent of the wash-away before a full assessment could be completed. He further said the road would remain closed until the initial assessment had been completed and that time frames would be determined during the assessment process.

On 1 June, nearly one month after the road collapsed, Mahlasela said that the status of the road remained the same.

When asked when repairs would commence or when road users could expect to use the road again, he said, “We are still waiting for the procurement process to be finalised.”

Kou-Kamma municipal spokesperson Nomava Siqoko said that the municipality is aware of the challenges experienced by some residents of Joubertina because of the damage to the R62.

She said that the affected section of the R62 falls under SANRAL’s mandate, and that any technical assessments, reports, decisions regarding repairs, temporary access routes, maintenance responsibilities, or possible reimbursement arrangements would be matters for SANRAL to consider.

“The municipality is not currently responsible for the management or maintenance of the national road network but remains supportive of efforts aimed at ensuring community safety and accessibility during this period,” said Siqoko.

She further said that the municipality’s honey sucker is currently not operational due to mechanical challenges.

Siqoko said that the Supply Chain Management (SCM) section is actively engaged in appointing a suitable service provider to undertake the necessary repairs.

“In the interim, the municipality has advised that the Joubertina residents make use of the honey sucker at the old-age home in Joubertina,” said Siqoko.

She said that water supply challenges experienced in the affected area were primarily caused by extensive flood damage to critical water infrastructure.

Siqoko said that the pipelines conveying raw water from the dam to the treatment plant were swept away by the floodwaters, while the inlet structure within the dam became blocked.

She said that this significantly impacted the municipality’s ability to abstract and treat water.

To address the blockage at the dam, Siqoko said that the municipality engaged a specialist diver to inspect and clear the inlet structure.

“Due to high water levels and strong currents following the floods, the diver had to wait until conditions were safe enough to undertake the work. Once access was possible, the blockage was successfully removed. Thereafter, the municipality utilised heavy machinery to replace the damaged pipelines and restore the water supply system,” said Siqoko.

She further said that water services have since been restored.

“The restoration process was complex and required significant technical intervention, specialised expertise, and heavy equipment to repair the damaged infrastructure. Municipal teams worked diligently throughout the recovery period to ensure that services were reinstated as soon as conditions allowed,” said Siqoko.

To address future demand and improve the resilience of the water supply system, she said that the municipality is in the process of increasing the treatment plant’s capacity.

Siqoko said that the project has already progressed to the tender stage, and a contractor will be appointed in due course.

“Once construction is completed, the upgraded facility is expected to significantly enhance the municipality’s ability to meet current and future water demand,” said Siqoko.

She further said that technical reports were compiled and submitted to request funding to restore all that was lost during the disaster and ensure continued service delivery to residents.

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