It is said to be a contributing factor to flooding whenever it rains.

Following the town’s flash floods, some business owners spent the majority of the day cleaning the mud and water from their establishments.

A total of 29 people were rescued this week following heavy rains.

Business premises and stores have been affected by the incessant rain. Some retailers could not trade as their stores were still wet.

Mopping-up operations continue following heavy rain over the past two days. Some of the owners lamented the poor drainage system in the area.

“The drains are not cared for, and they are not cleaned at all. So, all the water dams up, no space where the water goes, and all the water just dams up in front of all the shops here and cause a big problem when there’s a lot of water. It goes into the shops and there's mud everywhere,” says one business owner.

“The problem here is that the sewerage channels or drains are blocked so the water or the rain from the top of the town comes down in the sewage pipes and blocks here and start overflowing here,” another adds.

The Dihlabeng Municipality says it has prepared for the worse. Municipal spokesperson, Tshediso Maitse, says the municipality is on standby to assist those affected by the heavy rain.

Maitse elaborates: “From yesterday, even today, municipal workers have been hard at work clearing the storm water channels that were blocked that affected the flow of water. Even the Jordan River that had debris from dead trees has been cleared and everything has been mopped off and water is flowing, and we don’t foresee any problems.”

Residents have been warned about the dangers of crossing flooded bridges. They are also urged to avoid low-lying areas.

SABC