Wednesday the 11th started like a normal day, with clear skies from which one could not anticipate the kind of thunderstorm and uncontrollable floods to come.... During the violent storm water from the blocked gutters overflowed onto the ceilings which eventually caved in, causing gushes of water to run down the top floor corridors and down the steps to the main entrances...
Heavy rains and flashes of lightining across much of South Africa served as a mark of bad omen to Boekenhout dwellers this week. Wednesday the 11th started like a normal day, with clear skies from which one could not anticipate the kind of thunderstorm and uncontrollable floods to come. As many vicinities across Gauteng experienced the heavy downpours and floods, House Boekenhout too was hit.
The violent gusts of wind wipped up enough leaves and other debri to block the gutters on the roofs of the two main buildings. The water overflowed and ended up on the ceilings of the top floors. Eventually the ceilings started leaking and some caved in, causing gushes of water to run down the top floor corridors and down the steps to the main entrances.
Numerous rooms were flooded with water, especially on the E3 and B3 corridors. Inhabitants of the top floors full of exasperation tried to stop the water with their brooms and towels, but to little avail as the water kept coming down. Fortunately the rest of the corridors remained mostly unaffected. The rain
stoppage was the prayer invoked by everyone.
Teamwork and good spirits of residents, despite the devastation, helped a lot to clean up the mess. Top management of TUKSRES, Security and Facitlities and management, including Prof. Roelf Visser, Mr. Alec Blackhall, Mr. Philip Nel, Mr. Colin Fouche and various contracters, arrived soon after,
for which we are very grateful. Together with the housefather and house committee, the damage could be assessed and actions efficiently decided on. Much work now lie ahead to repair the damage and ensure the situation is not repeated.
Hopefully that was the worst of the storms to hit Pretoria and Boekenhout this year!
