Zwelitsha in Dunoon was among the scores of shanty towns across the metro left battered by last week’s heavy rains and flooding.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell says the City is continuing to help victims of the floods.
“To date, disaster management officers have made assessments in 41 informal settlements where 1 221 structures were flooded and 2246 persons were affected.
“Humanitarian relief was being provided to affected residents by the South African Social Security Agency, the Gift of the Givers, the Mustadafin Foundations, and the Ashraful Foundation.The roads and stormwater departments have been issuing milling, sandbags and flood kits on request to residents in certain areas,” she said.
Thandeka Booi, who lives in Zwelitsha, said the flooding had taken a heavy toll.
“My appliances like the TV, kettle and microwaves are damaged. It will cost me a fortune to fix. Important documents like my children’s birth certificates and my ID are destroyed as well.
“Luckily some aid is coming our way through Sassa and other organisations. This is not a good way to live, honestly. Every time there is heavy rain, you sit and pray that your house isn’t the one to be damaged this time. And it’s not only water; we sit in fear of fires here too. I am hoping our votes made a difference so that our leaders will see what their own people are going through.”
However, Zolile Hintsa, of Dunoon, said: “Those people know the type of area their houses are built on. This isn’t anything new. That area is prone to flooding. Also when there’s a fire, no one is safe because look how congested that place is. People need to stop blaming the government for their self-inflicted issues.”
Gift of the Givers has started a disaster relief campaign on BackaBuddy to help disaster victims around South Africa. Over R20 000 has been collected so far.
