Cape Town - Relentless heavy rains in the Cape resulted in massive flooding in both formal and informal settlements, townships and suburbs, leaving many homes and goods drenched while others were left homeless.
Some health facilities were also temporarily closed and patients were forced to seek help at nearby clinics. The Durbanville community health centre and Bishop Lavis Day Hospital were closed due to flooding, while other clinics, including Parow clinic, offered limited services and others reported minor leaks.
The City’s Disaster Management said reports of affected informal settlements included Delft, Khayelitsha, Nomzamo, Crossroads, Philippi, Gugulethu, and Nyanga while properties were damaged due to flooded roadways and blocked drains were reported.
Bonteheuwel ward councillor Angus McKenzie said in the area and surrounding areas flooding was due to constant dumping in stormwater and sewerage systems.
The City’s department teams had their hands full attending to weather-related issues, with efforts co-ordinated by the Disaster Risk Management Centre.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said 110 teams of City staff were dispatched to assist in affected areas such as Gordon’s Bay, Khayelitsha, and Elsies River with flood relief. He said homes were prioritised over roads.
More than 400 individuals were left homeless after their shacks were washed away in the newly established Covid informal settlement situated in the Driftsands Nature Reserve. This is after the retention dam, which the residents had erected their shacks on, had its wall overflowed.
CapeNature had offered to relocate these residents to an alternative site within the Nature Reserve; however, this did not take place.
Community leader Luthando Mcuntula said local churches had been identified to house the affected families in the interim.
“The situation here is dire as we are experiencing flooding as high as our waists. Those that had their shacks are unfortunately not able to sleep in them. Currently we require food and blankets for those whose things and furniture are drenched in water.
“While we have seen numerous floods in the area, this time the results have been traumatic and this is the first time that we have had shacks washed away by the floods,” he said.
Mcuntula said it was hoped the rain would subside so residents could rebuild.
“We are not against relocation but have a problem with the process and the site which the people would be relocated to as there is no provision of basic services,” he said.
A New Village informal settlement resident in Strand, Nomsa Mgengwana, said they were worried about where they would sleep as no form of assistance has been offered to the residents in the area.
Subcouncil 15 PR councillor Banele Majingo said Disaster Management has not only been unable to adequately assist formalised residential areas across the city but said there was little to no assistance to residents living in informal settlements.
“Flooding is a recurring annual disaster in Cape Town and it is clear that the City of Cape Town has no plan to mitigate negative effects of the heavy rains and localised flooding,” he said.
Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said the organisation had been on alert from last week when the warnings were issued. Sablay said calls for assistance have been pouring in.
“Our teams had been in affected sites as early as Monday. When the warnings were given last week we were already well prepared. Our teams were on-site starting on Monday, where we received calls from many of the informal settlements.
“Currently, we are busy in Langa, Bishop Lavis, Ravensmead, Gugulethu, Masiphumelele, and Mitchells Plain, working around the clock to render urgent humanitarian aid to the flood victims.
“We are providing blankets, mattresses, and nutritious meals. Our teams will be working throughout the week with various informal settlements around the Western Cape to ease the plight of those suffering,” he said.
Cape Town Traffic Services said officials were harnessing all available resources to mitigate the risks caused by the extensive rainfall.
Cape Town Traffic Services spokesperson Kevin Jacobs said officials had been receiving reports of obstructions caused by localised flooding.
The South African Weather Service said very cold conditions were expected over the interior of Western Cape and Namakwa District until today. The office said today’s weather would be partly cloudy with morning isolated showers. Sun is expected in the afternoon.