Two children shriek with laughter as they splash in a muddy puddle in Overcome Heights informal settlement in Seawinds, Lavender Hill.
Behind them, a white bakkie keeps to the far left while trying to unsuccessfully avoid large pools of water in the flooded street.
According to Karen Mentoor, a community leader who has lived in Overcome Heights for more than 18 years, around 1 000 residents are affected by winter flooding.
When People’s Post visited the site on Friday 9 June, residents made their way through flooded streets using bricks as stepping stones or keeping to the edges of the water.
“The City of Cape Town usually throws milling in the roads to stop it from flooding residents’ homes but it doesn’t help. Every year, it is always the same issue and it was very bad this past week and there is more rain coming.”
Mentoor adds that the City created a channel in one of the gravel roads, Rasta Street, for the water to flow out and towards the stormwater drains.
“We need more channels and drainage to stop the flooding.”
She adds that it is time that the residents have their own housing development.
“We have been here for 18 years now and I think it is time that Overcome rises for housing opportunities because there are people who have been on a housing waiting list for 27 to 28 years.”
Samantha Swartz, a resident and owner of a crèche, slowly makes her way past large puddles of water in the gravel street she stays in.
According to Swartz, the street floods so badly that they are unable to leave.
“This whole road is flooded as you can see. We have had some heavy rains now during the week.
“It rained for three consecutive days and this is the result. We can’t walk down the street because of the water and the water is not going anywhere. You basically can’t use the street when it’s flooded like this.
“You have no other choice but to walk through the water to get where you need to be.”
Swartz adds it is a problem throughout winter.
“You can’t even come out of your door. Sometimes it rains in through the roof at the crèche, depending on how heavy the downpour is.
“We have 40 children, aged from 18 months to five years, in total who attend the crèche but during winter it is down to 20 because of the rain.
Penelope Lottering, a neighbour, agrees.
“I just stay indoors because you can’t get through the flooded street.”
Ward 45 councillor Mandy Marr says that flooding remains an issue in Overcome Heights.
“The main issue is how many structures do you find that are rainproof?
“There will always be a need for more stormwater drains and channels because people’s homes are lower than the street which means homes are being flooded.”
Meanwhile, Marr says that the Village Heights informal settlement, also situated in Seawinds, is currently part of a pilot project to provide housing for its residents.
“The Village Heights informal settlement was chosen for a pilot project because there is already infrastructure in place whereas Overcome Heights informal settlement is in a wetland.”
She adds that there is always a possibility that Overcome Heights will have their own housing development in the future.
