Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
12 July 2024 | 09:00 CAT
2 min read

Several storms hit the Western Cape this week, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Schools in the Cape Town metro, Cape Winelands, Overberg, and parts of the West Coast districts have closed to ensure learner and teacher safety. A Level 8 warning for disruptive rain has been issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), with heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides expected in the Cape Town metro, Drakenstein, and Stellenbosch regions.

Education MEC David Maynier confirmed that 20 schools have been granted permission to close, with 137 schools reporting infrastructure damage, 49 of which require urgent repairs.

Climate expert Dr Tafadzwana Mabhudi highlighted the significant impact, noting extensive infrastructure damage and disruptions to commerce and daily business activities. Goods and services cannot move freely, affecting many livelihoods.

“The current warning issues started last week (6 – 7 July 2024); the expectation is for this system to persist through today (12 July 2024) and this weekend but should clear up by next week. After the rains stop, it is important to note that the grounds will be heavily saturated with water, so it will take time for water to drain, river water levels to go down, and so forth,” he said.

He emphasised that these extreme weather events are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. “The same people in vulnerable areas are always affected. What is clear is that the response is not proactive; the focus is more on the recovery than having measures in place to ensure the bad weather doesn’t have a harmful impact on people and their livelihoods,” he said.

Mabhudi reiterated the implications on livelihoods, noting that people cannot go to work to earn a daily living, making the impact far-reaching beyond just the adverse weather conditions.

“The recovery rate of people is undefined and longer than the recovery of infrastructure,” he added.

Strong winds are forecasted to persist over the interior and coastal areas, particularly Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas.

Rivers and dams are closely monitored due to rising water levels; several dams have reached high capacity, prompting controlled water releases. “Any other heavy rainfall event that could happen in the near future due to high levels of saturation could trigger flooding, even if it’s not as heavy as what we just experienced,” said Mabhudi.

Electricity restoration efforts continue, with 11,000 people still without power in areas like Citrusdal, De Doorns, Touwsrivier, and Delft.

Humanitarian efforts are underway, with 4,000 structures damaged and 15,000 people affected. NGOs are providing 11,000 hot meals daily. The Western Cape Government (WCG) continues to provide shelter, food, and blankets to the homeless.

Premier Alan Winde and disaster management teams are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating responses to mitigate the impact of the storms.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Habib Bobat and Climate expert Dr Tafadzwana Mabhudi, here.