Khayelitsha Residents Scoop Buckets of Water From Flooded Homes

Nosimbo Gqezu grabbed whatever belongings she could carry and sought shelter at the hall. She is among many residents living at Taiwan informal settlement in Khayelitsha whose homes are flooded.

Heavy rainfall in the early hours of Thursday morning flooded dozens of homes in Khayelitsha’s Taiwan informal settlement, forcing families into emergency shelters.

At the settlement, we found many residents dressed in gumboots and jackets, covered in blue refused bags in the pouring rain, scooping buckets of water from their homes. Others were using pickaxes and spades to create trenches to redirect flooding away from their shacks.

Nosimbo Gqezu, standing in shin-deep water, said when her shack flooded, she grabbed whatever belongings she could carry and went to the Fulani Community Hall. She will have to wait for the water to recede to see what belongings she can salvage.

When we arrived at the hall, a group of women were huddled around a small heater and some elderly residents were resting under a blanket on mattresses on the floor. People, including young children, were given warm vetkoek to eat by the ward councillor.

Nosakho Sigwela was among the group keeping warm in the hall. She said she has lived in the settlement with her family for years and winters have always been harsh.

This year, in preparation for the storm, Sigwela moved some of her furniture to friends living in formal houses nearby. “I’m not about to move out of here back into my shack. The government must see what to do with us,” she said.

People huddled around a small heater in the community hall on Thursday as heavy rainfall continued.

Community leader Nolulamo Mahele said many residents’ shacks are engulfed in water. “The doors of their shacks are open because they are damaged or too swollen to close, so they left without closing their doors,’’ she said.

Mahele said they urgently need donations of food, warm clothes, blankets and toiletries for the families.

She said Taiwan residents have been pleading with the City of Cape Town to build them proper houses for years. “We are tired of getting plastic sheets to cover our roofs,” she said.

According to a statement posted on the City’s social media, several organisations have stepped in to provide assistance following the downpours of the past 36 hours.

“Assessments are ongoing in affected areas, while relevant City departments continue their efforts to address service-related impacts from the inclement weather.

Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson, Sonica Lategan, said, “Currently, 65 families are currently being accommodated in Funani Hall in Taiwan. The City’s humanitarian relief partners have been activated to assist with soft relief to affected communities.”

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