2.1.1.HISTORY

2.1. ALEXANDRA

2.1.1. HISTORY _

Figure 24: Alexandra community sitting salvaging their homes during a flash flood in 2016 (Pather, 2016)

Alexandra (Alex) township was established in 1912 and is located close to the Johannesburg city centre. Because Alex is close to employment opportunities, it has experienced rapid growth over the years. The unplanned population growth has overloaded the infrastructure to the point where essential services are almost non-existent today. The high density and congested nature of the dwellings within the settlement make access for maintenance very difficult or well-nigh (Web.mit.edu, 2018).

Alex falls within the jurisdiction of the Eastern Metropolitan Local Council (EMLC), but currently, services are the responsibility of various sections of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council. Alex is very socially disconnected from the municipalities; council’s responsibilities are scattered with no proper line of function for residents to raise issues (Web.mit.edu, 2018). Alex has had multiple flooding disaster events because of unplanned urbanisation; open space is extremely scarce in the settlement. This has resulted in overcrowding in hostels and informal developments on the Jukskei Riverbank and its three tributaries.

These areas are at a significant risk of future flooding because they fall within the floodplain that is expected to rise by an extra 50% in the next 30 years (Web.mit.edu, 2018). Alex has multiple complexities that contribute to its flood vulnerability, which result in frequent flood damages, which will increase by the year. For these reasons, it is the selected study area.