Cape Town – Power outages, damaged roofs and
severe flooding came in the wake of
two cold fronts that hit the province
yesterday.
And there’s no end in sight
as the chilly weather is expected to
continue today, with the SA Weather
Service issuing a severe weather alert
for snowfalls
Snow is expected over the Namakwa southern high ground, and western high ground of the Western Cape, mainly in the morning.
Heavy rains caused flooding in informal settlements in Masiphumelele in Fish Hoek, Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, and Makhaza in Khayelitsha, affecting more than 3 000 dwellings.
The City's disaster risk management centre spokesperson Charlotte Powell said in Molokane Street in Imizamo Yethu, seven dwellings were destroyed by an uprooted tree, with no injuries.
“Roofs have been damaged by strong winds in Mamre, Strand, Gugulethu and Belhar. Roads were flooded across the city in areas such as Southfield, Grassy Park, Killarney, Kraaifontein, Atlantis, Mamre, Hout Bay, Kuils River, Mitchells Plain, Macassar, Parow and Durbanville,” Powell said.
Storm-related electricity disruptions were experienced in Plattekloof, Rylands, Parow, Belgravia, Sunnydale, Nyanga, Philippi and Oranjezicht.
By yesterday afternoon, residents from Zwelini Drive in Kraaifontein reported that the roadway was flooded due to blocked stormwater drains.
“About 200 informal dwellings along this road have been flooded. The transport department is busy clearing the stormwater system to expedite the drainage of the floods, and the human settlements department will also make an assessment.
City departments are assisting the affected communities, including making alternative accommodation available and the SA Social Security Agency has been informed around the need for humanitarian relief,” Powell said.
Snowfalls were reported in Sutherland and on the mountains near Ceres.
The SA Weather Service also issued an alert for high seas, with swells of between 6m and 7m expected along coastal regions between Cape Columbine and Coffee Bay.
Gale force winds of 65km/* were expected along the coast between Cape Agulhas and East London.
Light snowfalls were expected over the Sneeuberg and Winterberg mountains last night, spreading to the southern Drakensberg overnight.
In Burundi informal settlement, more than 150 families were affected by the flooding.
Residents spent most of yesterday
trying to clear water from inside
their shacks after the floods.
Community leader Vuyisani
Ntsekeni said they held a meeting
with municipal officials last week.
“We have a problem here with our
councillor, who was elected in 2016,
but has never visited us,” he said.
Nosibusiso Frans 29, who has
an 8-month-old baby, said: “When
I woke up this morning I found
my house full of water. It was
everywhere, even under my bed.
“My shoes are all wet, and my
couches. I had to take my baby to
my sister because she was starting to
cough badly, and this is all because
of my house being flooded.
“This is what we face every
winter season, sleeping on wet
blankets, with broken cupboards
and wet couches. My two brothers
could not go to work because their
uniforms are also wet,” she said.
Residents are requested to direct
non-emergency service calls to the
City’s call centre on 0860 103 089,
and to direct emergency calls to the
public emergency communication
centre on 021 480 7700 from a
cellphone or 107 from a landline.