- Severe storms hit Cape Town, causing widespread flooding and damage to areas like Vygieskraal and other informal settlements.
- The Mustadafin Foundation, along with other organizations, has been actively providing relief
- The City of Cape Town has issued thousands of flood kits and continues mop-up operations as more rain is expected.
The week-long storm which made landfall on Sunday 7 July affected some areas severely. In these areas the Mustadafin Foundation has to date assisted in relief efforts for thousands of storm damage victims.
The City of Cape Town having issued 6 500 flood kits to residents in Tafelsig, Vygieskraal, Khayelitsha, Lwandle, Nomzamo, Gugulethu, Masiphumelele, Macassar, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Mfuleni, and Ocean View, mop- up operations continue across the province, with more rain expected this week.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says while Cape Town had a bit of s respite from the cold front yesterday (15 July), a second, weaker cold-front is expected to make a landfall today (16 July) with light rains. Another cold-front is expected on Thursday 18 July.
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Rainfall measurements taken across the province indicate more than 300mm of rain for the month. Although the high rain occurred in some parts, other areas measuring in the mid to high 100s.
SAWS says preliminary figures indicate a record rainfall month for July at the Franschhoek station and Worcester recorded a record month since this station opened in 1999.
The Cape Winelands and Worcester were among the worst affected.
“The Cape typically receives winter rainfall predominantly from weather systems such as cold fronts and cut-off lows. The past week several cold fronts have passed over the Cape, where each has brought significant rainfall, particularly for the western parts of the Western Cape. It is not uncommon to have frequent fronts affecting the province. Similar situations occurred last year in June,” says SAWS to People’s Post.
Around 1 000 residents in the Vygieskraal informal settlement have been badly impacted by the storm, with ankle and even knee-deep flooding across the settlement.
Mischka Chachu, chair of the Ubuntu Vygieskraal Community Leaders, says it has been very bad with the banks of the Vygieskraal Canal also having burst. Situated along the banks of the canal, the plot is waterlogged and does periodically experience flooding, but not to this extent, says residents.
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“It has been very bad, our electrical appliances like fridges and stoves are all damaged. Our furniture is damaged. Mattresses everything is damaged. We could not even send our children to school. Disaster management has been good and we have gotten more sponsors,” says Chachu.
She adds the City will also be providing milling and sandbags to assist inside the shelters to aid in drainage and keeping water out.
The water has gone down a bit, but is constantly rising and dropping, says Chachu.
There have been no injuries reported, but the damage has been substantial.
Ashraful Aid and the Al-Imdaad Foundation have been actively assisting the residents, says Chachu.
With mass flooding and even loss of life reported across the Metro, the Mustadafin Foundation is one of several organisations assisting the City with disaster relief.
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“There has been over 2 000 people that benefitted from relief (to date). We have distributed blankets and hot meals and food hampers. We received calls from the ward councillors of the areas or we are alerted via the disaster relief group chat as to what area needs assistance,” says Tasneem Bastra media and marketing coordinator of the foundation.
Carl Pophaim, the Mayco member for human settlements, says relief to informal settlements will be continuous, but focus will be on areas where water will not self-dissipate.
In a meeting with the national Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, officials called on the ministry to release relief funding to the City for worst affected areas.
The City is also calling on residents to assist in donations, with collection points at Goodwood, Lakeside, Ottery, Roeland Street, Sir Lowry’s Pass and Strand fire stations. The Mustadafin foundation is calling on donations to assist in their relief efforts.
