The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government have both launched their winter readiness programmes, aimed at the most vulnerable in society.

Adverse weather conditions deepen the social susceptibility of vulnerable groups living in informal settlements, remote rural locations, or on the streets.

The provincial Department of Social Development has ensured that its winter readiness programmes are operational in each region across the province as heavy rains and colder weather conditions are expected to arrive.

MEC Sharna Fernandez says as winter’s icy grip begins, her department is preparing to assist vulnerable communities who may require assistance during this time.

An increased demand for humanitarian and psycho-social support services requires coordinated responses. This is why our department will be working closely with other government agencies to mitigate the impact of disasters on these groups.

The Department’s plan includes:

• Ongoing social work services at 37 homeless shelters, aimed at family reunification;
• Provision of psycho-social support services;
• Disaster relief teams working with other government agencies and NGOs;
• On-going food relief services in vulnerable communities.

She has also called upon residents to get involved.

I encourage citizens who are able to, to get involved in assisting those most in need this winter season, whether through volunteering or donating to registered NGOs in the province. Government’s resources alone cannot meet the increased demand for services, but together, with your help, we can achieve much more and provide dignity for our province’s vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, in mid-April, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City was on track to proactively jet-clean 200 kilometres of sewer pipeline ahead of the winter season.

This is the largest sewer cleaning project yet undertaken by the City as part of its annual metro-wide Winter Readiness campaign to mitigate seasonal flooding risks.

Hill-Lewis says this work on the ground coincides with massive increases to infrastructure investments for better sanitation and better dignity for the poor.

This includes a four-fold increase for sewer pipe replacements, to 100km annually, and R500m this year for major bulk sewer upgrades to the Cape Flats, Milnerton, Philippi, and Gordon’s Bay lines.

The City’s new budget includes R1,3 billion to boost sewer spill responsiveness over three years.

Besides the proactive clearing of the sewer system, the City’s Winter Readiness efforts include:

• Flooding mitigation through clearing of stormwater drains, ponds, canals and gullies in flood prone areas are also being cleaned by the teams from Urban Mobility

• Preventative interventions to warn of flooding risks in areas with high numbers of informal structures, with Disaster Risk Management teams proactively visiting 38 high-risk areas to distribute information pamphlets, loud-hail, and in some parts erect signage indicating likely flood areas.

• Support to expand beds at homeless shelters and City-run Safe Spaces to help more people off the streets

• Mitigating sustained high stages of load-shedding, with business continuity preparations including fuel storage, generators and UPS systems, communications and IS&T network readiness. By June, 118 critical sewer pump stations will be fitted with generators, with a further R46m budgeted for more installations in 2023/24.

• Preventing electricity outages by tree-trimming on public property and encouraging property owners to do the same ahead of winter storms. Property owners should please approach professionals for assistance to ensure trees on their property are safely trimmed.

Tips to help to reduce flood risks:

• Clear out drainage systems on properties

• Raise the floor level of a structure so that it is higher than the natural ground level

• Make sandbags

• Dig trenches around the house to divert water away from the house

• Report blocked drains, intakes and illegal dumping – illegal dumping in the stormwater canals and sewers make flooding worse.

• Don’t dump illegally, rather use the City’s solid waste services to get rid of waste or take their recyclables, garden greens and builders rubble to our drop-off facilities.

• Check for illegal stormwater-to-sewer cross-connections on your properties, where water is chanelled from roofs, gutters, and paved or hard yard surface areas into sewer drains. Ingress of rainwater and items such as litter, material, builders rubble, fats, sanitary ware, cause sewers to overflow especially when it rains.

• Waterproof roofs, clear gutters and remove dead tree branches

• Do not leave an open flame unattended as the risk of fires during winter especially is significant.

The City of Cape Town also has a multi-departmental Winter Task Team that oversees risk mitigation measures in the lead-up to winter, and required responses during the season.

The task team is coordinated by the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre.

In an emergency or flooding: Call the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone.

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