Western Cape govt to provide support to residents affected by weather

Cold temperatures and severe weather have wreaked havoc in parts of the country including the Western Cape province, where some residents have been affected.

On Monday, the Western Cape government and the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) convened a meeting to address the aftermath of the severe weather that struck over the weekend.

The intense conditions led to loss of shelter in informal settlements, localized flooding, fallen trees, power outages, and road closures due to snow or flooding in parts of the Western Cape.

The City of Cape Town, Overberg, Cape Winelands, and West Coast Districts were the hardest hit by the storms.

Western Cape residents affected by weather

According to Anton Bredell, a member of the executive council (MEC) for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development, the provincial government is collaborating with the City of Cape Town and the national Department of Human Settlements to address the “immediate needs” of those who have lost their homes.

“As always, our focus remains on the safety of our residents and the humanitarian support that they need,” Bredell said in a statement on Monday.

Lwandle ward 86 councillor, Xolani Diniso said the weather has heavily affected residents of the informal settlement.

“There is no way to describe the situation… if I say it’s bad that would be an understatement. The situation is terrible. Our people have nowhere to go,” he told EWN.

Diniso mentioned that some residents had to sleep on beds that were floating on the water because of the flooding.

More severe weather expected

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) expects a series of cold fronts to continue bringing icy and wet weather to the province this week.

“Today will see the coldest daytime temperatures, and the next cold front with rain is expected to arrive on Tuesday, ” said SAWS on Monday.

“Between 10 and 20mm of rain is expected over the western parts, and between 40 and 60mm can be expected over the southern western mountains,” the Western Cape government’s statement further reads.

The Department of Water and Sanitation will monitor river and dam levels, which are expected to rise significantly this week.

Bredell expressed concern over the anticipated rainfall as “saturated soil could lead to rock falls, landslides and flash floods”.

Meanwhile, SAWS has confirmed that strong gale-force winds are expected and has emphasised the high risk of runaway wildfires in the Garden Route district.

In addition, the PDMC will support several search and rescue operations to communities currently cut off from main access roads.

In other news – WATCH: ‘You’re my kids, there’s nothing you can do’ – DJ Maphorisa speaks on all new Amapiano artists

Popular South African DJ, and music producer, Amapiano King, DJ Maphorisa is making headlines after he seemingly addressed gatekeeping claims levelled against him over the years. With a career spanning years, DJ Maphorisa has quickly become one of the most celebrated producers in South Africa.

DJ Maphorisa

The muso has headlined several shows worldwide and worked with some of the biggest acts in the music industry. He has been credited with thrusting several stars into the limelight and always brags about it. Read More

The post Western Cape govt to provide support to residents affected by weather appeared first on News365.co.za.