GOOD Statement by Marius van Stade, GOOD Stellenbosch Municipality Councillor:
The GOOD Party Stellenbosch is deeply concerned about the devastating impact of the severe flooding experienced this past weekend, following the first pre-seasonal rains in Idas Valley, Cloetesville and surrounding areas in Stellenbosch.
While the physical damage to homes, furniture, personal belongings, and infrastructure is significant, the emotional and psychological impact on affected residents, especially children, cannot be ignored. Families have been left traumatised after witnessing floodwaters enter their homes, destroy personal possessions, and create uncertainty about their safety and well-being.
For many children, these incidents are frightening and emotionally distressing, particularly when they experience displacement, disruption to their daily lives, and the fear that heavy rains may once again place their families at risk.
GOOD Councillor Marius van Stade underlines that residents should not have to live with the constant anxiety that every rainfall could end with their homes being flooded. It has become evident that, in several affected areas, municipal stormwater infrastructure failed to adequately direct water away from residential properties.
Blocked stormwater pipelines, clogged waterways, and insufficient drainage capacity in high-risk flood zones have contributed significantly to the devastation experienced by residents.
The GOOD Party is therefore calling on Stellenbosch Municipality to urgently implement the following measures:
- Conduct the immediate cleaning and clearing of all blocked stormwater pipelines, drains, and waterways across affected communities.
- Identify and prioritise upgrades to inadequate stormwater infrastructure in known high-risk flooding areas.
- Implement preventative maintenance measures to ensure that all stormwater systems are fully operational and prepared for the upcoming winter rainfall season.
- Provide urgent relief and humanitarian assistance to affected residents whose homes and properties sustained severe damage.
- Assist residents with guidance and support regarding municipal claims processes where infrastructure failures may have contributed to property damage.
- Through the Municipality’s Disaster Management Division, implement proactive disaster mitigation measures when severe weather warnings are issued by the South African Weather Service, including the distribution of sandbags to high-risk flooding areas to help protect homes and properties.
The GOOD Party believes that preventative maintenance, effective disaster preparedness, and quick response interventions are critical to protecting vulnerable communities from avoidable flooding disasters. Municipal infrastructure must be capable of effectively directing stormwater away from residential areas, particularly as we approach the peak winter rainfall season.
The safety, dignity, mental well-being, and livelihoods of residents must be prioritised. We urge Stellenbosch Municipality to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and to ensure that affected residents receive both immediate relief and long-term infrastructure solutions.
GOOD Community Engagement: The party encourages active community participation in governance.
Lord Theus
Fun South African Fact: South Africa has three capital cities
sugar apple
Van der Merwe is approached by SANRAL one day who want to build a new highway through his donkey farm. Van is really concerned with how his donkeys can get from one side of the farm to the other without having to cross the highway and risk being injured or killed. He is promised that they will build bridges the highway so that his donkeys can cross under the highway. Van agrees and gives them the go-ahead.
The highway is built and a year later the same rep goes to the farm to go see how Van and his donkeys are. He eventually finds Van under one of these bridges chipping away at the roof of the tunnel with a hammer and chisel.
\”Mnr Van de Merwe, what are you doing damaging the highway bridge?\”