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Thousands left homeless in Western Cape as gale-force winds and torrential rain wreak havoc

Thousands left homeless in Western Cape as gale-force winds and torrential rain wreak havoc
Over 1100 informal structures in Ward 99 in Khayelitsha has been completely destroyed or damaged. Gift of the Givers assisted over 4000 people over the weekend. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)
Takudzwa Pongweni
By Takudzwa Pongweni
7 Jul 2024
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Communities in the Western Cape are facing a severe weather crisis as multiple cold fronts bring icy weather, disruptive rain and damaging winds, causing widespread displacement. And five more major cold fronts are expected over the next week.

About 4,000 people who had been left homeless in Khayelitsha after gale-force winds destroyed more than a thousand informal structures on Thursday, 4 July, were lashed by a new series of cold fronts on Sunday.

And the severe winter weather is expected to continue through the week. 

Western Cape communities are buckling under heavy rain and damaging, gale-force winds, as well as plummeting temperatures, with snow falling over the Boland and Koue Bokkeveld mountains and up into the Karoo. 

The latest series of cold fronts, which started in the early hours of Sunday, 7 July, are forecast to continue throughout the week. 

On Sunday afternoon, heavy seas combined with the new moon spring high tide hammered the Atlantic coastline.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) had already adjusted its warning for damaging winds from Level 6 to Level 8 for Sunday, and warned of expected widespread structural damage to informal and formal settlements.

Sunday’s series of cold fronts resulted in gale-force westerly to northwesterly winds of 70–90km/h, gusting up to 120km/h over the City of Cape Town and the Drakenstein, Stellenbosch, Overstrand and Theewaterskloof municipalities. 

Huge waves crash against the breakwater and strong winds cause sea foam to fly across the road at Three Anchor Bay in Cape Town. (Photo Brenton Geach)


Weather warnings in place 


Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, and the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) reported on Sunday that “at this stage, Ward 99 in Khayelitsha is our priority, as close to 1,000 structures were destroyed by strong winds on Thursday, leaving close to 4,000 people without shelter for the current cold and wet conditions. Humanitarian aid including hot meals, blankets and other support is being offered.”

According to Saws, several warnings for severe weather remain on track for the coming week, including a Level 6 warning for waves along the coast between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas from Sunday, spreading to Plettenberg Bay; and a Level 6 warning for snowfalls over the mountains of the Western Cape as well as southern high ground of the Namaqua District.

The Department of Water and Sanitation said while dam levels are not yet reflecting significant inflows from the weekend rains, this will change as runoff starts filling the dams. 

“Wemmershoek Dam, managed by the City of Cape Town, is currently at 77.8%, and controlled release of water into the Berg River will be managed carefully only once the dam levels approach 100%,” the department said. 

Bredell cautioned against circulating false social media posts about the Wemmershoek Dam’s current level as these were causing anxiety among people living downstream.

“Please refrain from spreading inaccurate information, as it might cause unnecessary panic, and it distracts disaster management services from attending to the critical risks at hand especially humanitarian and disaster aid,” Bredell said. 

Ali Sablay from Gift of the Givers in Ward 99 Khayelitsha. Severe weather is predicted for the coming week. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)



Over 1,100 informal structures in Ward 99 in Khayelitsha have been completely destroyed or damaged. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)



Informal structures in Ward 99 in Khayelitsha has been completely destroyed or damaged. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)


Thousands displaced in Khayelitsha


The major concern at the moment is setting up temporary accommodation for the 4,000-plus people displaced in Khayelitsha, said Ali Sablay, operations manager at humanitarian NGO Gift of the Givers.

“Some of them are sleeping out in the open and with the weather warnings coming that can be destructive for these families,” he said. 

The NGO has deployed additional supplies of blankets, warm clothing and beanies. “In Ward 99, there were still two elderly people’s wheelchairs badly damaged by the storms and we’ve replaced them,” he said.

Sablay said the NGO has been inundated with calls for help, and it has dispatched a team to Makhaza, an informal settlement in Khayelitsha, where close to 300 people have been affected by the rain.

“Calls are streaming through from Kanana informal settlement, Barcelona informal settlement, Gugulethu, Kraaifontein and Sir Lowry’s Pass Village near Strand. We are receiving calls from all the informal settlements around the Western Cape. We just received images from Nomzamo, and it looks like total carnage on that side,” he said.

Teams on the ground are currently assessing the situation and will render humanitarian assistance to all the victims. 

“We know that the weather warning stretches as far as the Garden Route, Central Karoo and Klein Karoo. We have a team on standby on that side as well to render any humanitarian assistance if need be,” Sablay said.

The weather warnings indicate that there will be five major cold fronts slamming into the Western Cape this coming week, and Sablay said Gift of the Givers will be on standby to assist all local municipalities as far as Drakenstein, Witzenberg and Breede Valley.

“Some municipalities have asked for assistance with sandbags and black sheeting so people could cover the roofs and prevent the structures being flooded. We will be there for the next few days to assist community members affected by the current storms and those that are predicted for the coming week,” he said.

Gift of the Givers assisted more than 4,000 people over the weekend. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)




Road closures, line faults reported and high fire danger 


Western Cape Premier Alan Winde appealed to residents to avoid unnecessary travel during the inclement weather.

Some roads were closed in Cape Town due to flooding, including 35th Street and Owen Road, Elsies River; FW de Klerk Boulevard outbound at Marine Drive; Beach and Coronation roads, Maitland; Belrail Road before Adam Tas Street, Bellville; NY3A at Nyanga train station; and Manenberg Avenue and Thames Walk, Manenberg.

Winde urged motorists “to please be vigilant, proceed with caution and obey the speed limit, and to drive with their headlights on at all times, so they are visible to other road users”.

Meanwhile, Eskom reported line faults affecting Tulbagh, Rawsonville, Hex River Valley and Belhar in the City of Cape Town. The faults have all been isolated and teams are working on restoring connectivity in the areas.

SAWS also highlighted the additional fire danger for the Garden Route District which will be exacerbated by the strong winds in the coming days.

Caution urged 


The National Sea Rescue Institute appealed to bathers, boaters, paddlers and shoreline anglers to exercise caution around the coastline. 

Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “The concern is that during this, the final weekend of school holidays, the coastline will be experiencing the new moon spring tide during a time where sea conditions are naturally rougher than normal because of winter storms and cold fronts passing over parts of the coastline and deep sea off the South African coastline.” 

In social media posts on Saturday, Winde urged residents to be vigilant and shared information about whom to call in an emergency. 

“We are expecting more severe weather than initially anticipated. Please stay indoors as far as possible, follow trusted sources for information and avoid spreading fake news. 

“Our provincial departments are represented at our Disaster Management Centre, and we will offer support, if necessary,” Winde said. DM

Those wishing to donate funds for the Gift of the Givers disaster relief operation in the Western Cape can call the toll-free number 080 078 6911 or visit its website.

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