Cape residents look to rebuild after devastating cold fronts

Marsha Dean|Published 4 hours ago

Residents of Bonteheuwel assess the damage to their homes after severe storms wreak havoc across the Western Cape, leaving many families struggling to recover.

Residents across the Western Cape are left with the devastating aftermath of the deadly storms since the weekend.

Informal settlements were hit hard, with local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell saying that current estimates indicate that close to 11 000 shacks were destroyed, affecting up to 42 000 people.

Bredell added: “The Provincial Department of Health and Wellness confirmed a total of six weather-related fatalities since the first cold front made landfall last week.”

Suburbs on the Cape Flats didn’t escape the destruction, with Bonteheuwel resident Hajiera Bantom saying that the newly-built home she moved into eight months ago was damaged in the storms.

Bantom said: “I got my keys to my house only eight months ago, it is one of the new houses.

“On Monday morning, we just heard this banging sound from the roof.

“First, the sides of the roof fell off, and then another big chunk fell off due to this weather. I am so upset.

“This has caused the inside of my house to be wet due to the roof leaking. I was told to fix my own house because it is private property.

“I managed to get help from a member of The People’s Movement for Change (PMC) who reached out to me on Facebook and immediately came to assist me.

“It is only the start of winter, and I just hope that I am not going to have further issues during the heavy rainy months.”

Meanwhile, Rushka Hassen, a single mother of five from Belhar, is wondering how she is going to keep her two special-needs children healthy after her roof was damaged by the winds.

Hassen explained: “I have been living in my house for three years, and every winter we have an issue, but this time it was worse.

“The wind blew the tiles off the roof and the vibracrete slabs in the front yard.

“We have rain leaking from the roof, which is coming down the walls.

“The water is also seeping through the door and under the carpet.

“I have nobody who can help me and can’t just leave to get assistance because I am alone with my children, my one child is in a wheelchair, and my other child has Down Syndrome, so I can’t just leave them on their own.”

The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management assured the public that they are helping as many residents as they can.

Spokesperson Charlotte Powell said: “The impacts from the frontal systems have been extensive, and teams are working as quickly as possible to attend to them. We thank the public for their patience and cooperation.

“We also remind everyone to please report service faults to the City’s corporate call centre or via the City’s App and to please only call the Public Emergency Communication Centre for incidents that present imminent danger to life or property.”