THE heavy rain in Cape Town is making life difficult for people living in informal settlements.
They told Daily Sun that since the rain started last week, their shacks have been flooded, and most of their belongings are wet.
A community leader from Island squatter camp in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, said: “Everything is flooded, even blankets and our beds are wet. It's not even possible to cook because there's no electricity. What's even worse is that people are sleeping in water like fish,” she said.
Another community leader, Zolani Mzane (54) from section B in Kosovo squatter camp, said water is all over their homes.
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“Many people have moved to their relatives and friends' places because they can't live under such conditions.”
The flooding is not only affecting kasis, but almost all areas around the Western Cape.
City of Cape Town’s disaster and risk management spokeswoman, Charlotte Powell, said some areas have been affected by power outages due to flooding.
“There's flooding at the Melomed Private Hospital in Tokai due to the Keys River bursting its banks again. The city's Roads and Infrastructure Management Services is assisting to divert the water. The city’s service teams are doing everything possible to deal with the impact of the weather, but intermittent rainfall is a challenge,” Powell said.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has warned people against crossing through floods after some people were trapped in stormwater pipes.
“The City Fire and Rescue team has rescued three people from the Parow Stormwater Canal. Please don’t approach or try to cross fast flowing stormwater canals or rivers,” said the mayor.
Police spokesman Colonel Andre Traut said officers have been sent to rural communities to help.
“Members attached to the Western Cape Diving unit have been deployed to the rural town of Wolseley to help local authorities with a massive rescue operations to save those affected by severe flooding and extreme weather conditions.
"So far, divers have brought 54 people to safety, and they'll remain in the area to assist with the disaster management operations until the situation has normalised,” said Traut.
