Cape Town - Cape Town had a taste of winter over the weekend with wet and cold conditions adversely affecting some areas.
More rain is expected on Monday night while conditions are expected to improve on Tueaday.
“With the heavy rains that we experienced, there have been numerous reports of flooding in most informal settlements within Khayelitsha,” Harare Khayelitsha Community Action Network founder Khanya Qongqo said on Sunday.
Qongqo said they visited the SD informal settlement in Khayelitsha and spoke with resident Sibongile Mokwena, who shared his experience of water flowing into houses, people’s belongings being damaged by flooding, as well as wet beds and clothing items.
Nosisanda Mabutyana, a resident from Island informal settlement in Khayelitsha, said approximately 10 homes were flooded on Saturday and that many residents were still in need of assistance.
“The flooding became extremely bad at around 11pm on Saturday night. My home was one of the homes that suffered and I am currently staying with my neighbour. The problem here is that one of our biggest drains is blocked, which is allowing the rainwater into our homes,” Mabutyana said.
Khayelitsha ward councillor Thando Pimpi confirmed that numerous areas in Khayelitsha were affected by flooding, especially informal settlements – these included BM section, Qandu-Qandu, phase 3 of the Green Point informal settlement as well Town Two informal settlements like Sikalekhekhe and Blowy.
“There has not been any formal assistance, and even though the flooding has not become too drastic, the residents are afraid of what will come in the next weeks should the rain continue,” Qongqo said.
Pimpi also added that no assistance was received yet from the municipality, despite reporting flooding incidents to the City. Pimpi said they were engaged with relatives of the victims to ensure they had a place to stay in the meantime.
However, Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Charlotte Powell said no incidents were reported to the City’s Disaster Operations Centre.
Local government MEC Anton Bredell said some of the main activities of their Winter Readiness Plan included advising informal settlement residents on measures to divert rainwater and rehabilitation of access roads at vulnerable informal settlements.
“The high number of vulnerable people living in informal dwellings does increase the risk. We have, however, been given a long-term weather forecast by SAWS which indicates a below-normal rainfall for this winter season,” Bredell said.