A Level 9 storm tore through Gauteng over the weekend, uprooting trees, flooding roads and plunging neighbourhoods into darkness. The deluge came in the wake of an Amnesty International report that exposed deepening flood risks in SA's informal settlements.

By 8am on Sunday, 16 November, more than 200mm of rain had fallen in Gauteng in just 24 hours, as a Level 9 storm ripped through the province.

Authorities released water from the Vaal and Bloemhof dams to prevent overflow, while urging residents living along riverbanks to exercise extreme caution as water levels continued to rise.

The SA Weather Service's (Saws') Level 9 alert was later downgraded to a Level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms over northern Gauteng and the western parts of Limpopo. A Level 4 warning was in place for the northeastern regions -- including eastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga -- with the possibility of disruptive rain and flooding.

In April, Daily Maverick visited the homes of Alexandra, Johannesburg, residents who live on the banks of the Jukskei River. They told how their houses cracked and even collapsed into the river when it rained heavily.

Last week, Daily Maverick went back to Alexandra to hear how residents were preparing...