On Thursday, Parys residents were sweeping water out of their houses, seeing what furniture is still usable and picking up the pieces after the Vaal River burst its banks on Saturday, 18 February. 

Some have lost everything and don’t know where to start. 

Those close to the river still have to take off their shoes and walk barefoot to access their homes as the water is still ankle-high days after the floodgates were opened into the river following heavy rains.

Sunwa River Lodge flooded in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Emergency personnel during a rescue mission after floods in Parys, Free State, on 22 February 2023. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Sonja van der Schyff, the manager of Sunwa River Lodge, said it might take six months or more for the business to recover. The flood upended some of their wooden cottages and they floated down the river. The whole establishment was underwater up to the window sills.

The establishment was one of the hardest hit as it is close to the river. It can host up to 120 people and was a popular spot for team building, conferences, and people interested in water activities such as river rafting.

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Van der Schyff said she would try to retain her team of seven employees. “We can’t do anything yet because the water is still high. We can’t assess the damage, but we hope we can keep everyone when we start cleaning up and restarting. We lost everything because, by the time we tried to move the furniture out, it was too late; it all happened so fast.”

On Saturday, the Department of Water and Sanitation announced that a further two floodgates had been opened at the Vaal and Bloemhof dams to ease the pressure. A total of 12 floodgates were opened. On Wednesday, a notice was circulated that the 12 floodgates would remain open, with water flowing at 3,200 cubic metres per second, specifically from the Bloemhof Dam.

Heavy rain resulted in the Orange-Vaal River System experiencing rising water levels, the department said. Water levels peaked at 120% and were reportedly at 116% on Saturday, resulting in the department “assessing and implementing measures to mitigate the effects of the increase”. 

Prof Graeme Addison at Otters’ Haunt Eco Retreat in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Karen Addison clears water from their reception area at Otters’ Haunt Eco Retreat in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Jamain Addison at Otters’ Haunt Eco Retreat in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Karen Addison and Teddy Mandonga sweep the water from the reception area at Otters’ Haunt Eco Retreat in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

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Graeme Addison, the owner of Otters’ Haunt Eco Retreat, said he had kept a close watch on reports about the river and anticipated some rise in water levels, but not to the extent that it occurred.

His wife and caretaker were sweeping water out of the house, and he paused from helping to have a conversation with Maverick Citizen. 

“We are playing a game of chance here. We have moved all the furniture, but while we clean up here it’s equally possible that the floods can come again, and even worse,” Addison said.

“I don’t know how many people realise that. I don’t envy the decision-makers at the dam; they have got to balance, they know that if they let too much water go, then the dam won’t be full for winter, but if they hold it back and it floods again … either way, they will be blamed.” 

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Ready for Freddy? SA must prepare for more intense weather events”

The Addisons are grateful that they managed to salvage most of their furniture.

“Friends helped move the furniture out in two hours. People from Parys Cares and other community members helped us. People up and down the river have lost everything, all their savings because the insurance will not pay for this even if they are insured,” said Addison. 

Residents complained that it had been poorly communicated that floodgates would be opened to ease the pressure at the dams.

“We just saw it happen. We moved some of the furniture but it was too late, we didn’t know the water would be so high,” said Rena van der Merwe, who has to walk through water to access and leave her home.

Sunwa River Lodge flooded in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Parys is plagued by a water crisis, which makes the clean-up difficult. 

“It’s crazy, so much water running through the streets but our taps are dry,” added Van der Merwe.

As Maverick Citizen was travelling around the affected areas, we came across two women walking through knee-high water. They had driven through what seemed like a minor puddle only for their car to quickly get stuck, with water up to the windows. The mother and daughter duo managed to get out and went to ask for assistance.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Buy water or fall ill – the grim daily choice for poor Tumahole residents”

In a few minutes, the local tow service, a representative from Ngwathe municipality, an ambulance and divers were on the scene to lend a hand and pull out the car. 

Antoinette Smith walks through a pool of water after flooding in Parys, Free State. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Antoinette Smith and Massie van Rooyen during flooding in Parys, Free State. The infrastructure of the town and surrounding areas has been severely damaged. (Photo: Leon Sadiki)

Antoinette Smith was visibly trembling from the experience.

“I can’t stop trembling. It just happened so quickly. I was up to my shoulders in water, I don’t know how because most roads have dried up and there was a small amount there but when we turned the corner, we are suddenly in high water, stuck,” said Smith. 

Last week, the government announced a National State of Disaster in response to the floods in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape and North West. 

The lowveld and escarpment areas of Limpopo (Vhembe and Mopani) and, to a slightly lesser extent, Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga, were told to brace for Tropical Storm Freddy, probably resulting in heavy rains and possible floods. DM/MC