The Western Cape has been battered by severe weather conditions after a powerful storm made landfall on Tuesday (8 April), causing widespread flooding across the Cape Metro, West Coast, and Bergriver regions.
Several areas were left submerged in knee-deep water, prompting desperate calls for assistance from affected communities. Many homes were damaged or washed away, and residents lost most of their belongings in the wake of the disaster.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast, Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay explained that the organization has been inundated with requests for humanitarian aid as residents struggle to cope with the aftermath of the storm.
“It’s been a very busy 48 hours for the Gift of the Givers team,” said Sablay.
“When the first rains came down, we were flooded with calls for assistance. We were also called out by the West Coast Disaster Risk Management team, who informed us that heavy rains caused localized flooding in Piketberg and Potterville.”
Sablay further detailed the devastation caused by the storm.
“Many homes got washed away, and people lost most of their belongings. The disaster risk management teams and officials are currently busy with mop-up operations,” he said.
The aid organisation has been on the ground providing immediate relief, including hot meals, clean drinking water, blankets, and other essential supplies.
Several informal settlements across the Cape Metro, including Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Bishop Lavis, Langa, Philippi East, and Macassar, reached out to the organization for help.
“This was just one and a half days of rains with this level of destruction,” Sablay said, expressing concern over the upcoming winter season.
“It’s quite worrying for what lies ahead in winter. We pray that while winter is on our doorstep, we are still able to assist flood victims.”
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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