14 people in hospital and 444 receiving humanitarian aid after three dams collapse in Western Cape

Update:

Fourteen people are in hospital, 444 are receiving humanitarian support and 224 people are being housed at a local church and a community centre after three dams collapsed, flooding and destroying a number of homes near Malmesbury and leaving the area of Riverlands without potable water. 

On Thursday, 08 August 2024, the wall of one of the dams on a property known as Dassenberg breached, affecting two neighbouring dams and resulting in severe flooding to parts of Riverlands, Chatsworth and Dassenberg, outside Malmesbury. 

Heinrich Robertson, communications manager for the West Coast District Municipality, said three of four dams located on the Dassenberg property were compromised when the wall of one was breached. 

The Swartland Municipality in partnership with West Coast Disaster Management Centre investigated the cause of the dam collapse. “It was discovered that the third dam initiated the breach, resulting in the first and second dam being overwhelmed, resulting in the extensive and devastating floods affecting Riverlands,” the Municipality said. 

Fourteen people are being treated in hospital, while 444 people are receiving humanitarian support and 224 people are being housed at a local church and a Thusong service centre. The Riverlands town is without potable water, and the Swartland and Drakenstein Municipality will temporarily provide water to the community until water supply is restored.

Living in fear

Jessica Solomons, a Riverlands resident who was affected by the floods, struggled to find words as she recalled how her father’s home was destroyed. 

“I was crying yesterday when they [her father’s family] called for us for help and we walked through the water to reach them and they had to open their back door so the water could flow through the front door that was torn down by the water to the outside.”

After more rain last night, Solomons said they are living in fear as the water rises. “We are not satisfied because there is another dam that is full. We live in fear because the dam can also collapse and the water can come out to affect us.” 

Solomons told Daily Maverick that she lost her son to the dams two years ago. “It was a hot summer day on 13 January 2022. My son and some boys and girls were going to the dams to swim there, and on that day he never came out and they took him out the next day,” Solomons said.

Humanitarian relief organisation Gift of the Givers, which was called by the Swartland Municipality and local disaster management team in the early hours of Thursday morning to provide assistance in evacuating people and suppling aid, is still on the site and will remain there for the next week.

“We [are] going to be here for the next seven days; there is a need for clean drinking water, so we have already called on two water tanks from the Eastern Cape to come and assist here,” Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said.

The above update was published on 9 August at 15:20

Residents in Dassenberg, Riverlands and Chatsworth near Malmesbury were left homeless after their homes were flooded when two retention dams in the area burst in the early hours of Thursday, 8 August 2024. The dams are located within the municipal borders of the City of Cape Town. 

According to Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, who was on site after receiving calls about the flooding, the dam located on the property known as Dassenberg breached and resulted in severe flooding to parts of Riverlands, Chatsworth and Dassenberg. 

Gift of the Givers was called by the Swartland Municipality and local disaster management team in the early hours of the morning to provide assistance in evacuating people and supplying humanitarian aid. 

“We found out that it was two retention dams that had burst, destroying a number of houses along the way. It is total destruction currently, roads have been washed away, people have lost absolutely everything,” Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said.

The organisation has set up a base at Riverlands Primary School, where it will provide humanitarian relief to the affected communities for the next few days. 

“There is no electricity, no plain drinking water; it is total damage on the ground. Our team will be here to assist the areas of Dassenberg, Riverlands, and Chatsworth with hot meals, blankets and baby care packs,” Sablay said.

The West Coast Disaster Management is on site as well as Disaster Management teams from the Swartland Municipality, including fire and rescue and law enforcement services. No fatalities or missing persons have been reported. 

“Victims have been treated for near-drowning and 14 people have been transported to nearby hospitals for observation and further treatment. At this moment, no fatalities or missing persons have been reported,” Bredell’s spokesperson, Wouter Kriel, said.

More rainfall predicted

Gift of the Givers helps residents in the Riverlands community after two retention dams in the area burst, flooding homes and washing away roads. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)

Gift of the Givers is on site to help residents in Dassenberg, Riverlands and Chatsworth near Malmesbury who were affected by the flooding caused by the collapse of two retention dams. (Photo: Gift of the Givers)