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DANGEROUS GAMES: Children of the Stjwetla informal settlement play on the banks of the Jukskei River.

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"Angisabi" (I'm not scared) said a 4-year-old girl.

There is no fencing and the children risk falling into one of the largest rivers in Gauteng.

The river flows from Edenvale in Ekurhuleni through Johannesburg to Vlakfontein near Orange Farm in the Vaal. The banks are prone to bursting, especially during heavy rains.

Stjwetla, which means stripping in Setswana, is overcrowded.

Lives have been lost and residents have lost their belongings in floods and fires. Over the years incidents of people being swept away by floods have made headlines.

The river rises very quickly during heavy rains and flash floods have washed away several shacks.

• In March 2011 Thomas Novela, 50, was swept away by floods while he was sleeping in his shack. His wife managed to escape.

• A man and his 18-month-old baby were rescued after their car was swept off a bridge into the river in January 2009.

• In December 2004 three young boys were swept away during flash floods. Mark Strydom, 12, his brother Kallie, 13, and their friend Kyle Hasson, 13, were all swept away while seeking shelter under a bridge.

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Wed May 22 03:04:07 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 27, 2012

Pointman

Another river story by the Sowetan. Don't understand people sometimes. I lived next to a river when I was a kid - my dad built our wood an iron home on the highest ground and I was never allowed to go unaccompanied to the river. All common sense - no genius needed and nobody ever died or lost anything to the river.
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