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Cape Town
Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Mopping up underway after heavy rains, as City ramps up winter readiness

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The City of Cape Town says clean-up operations are continuing across the metro after a series of cold fronts brought heavy rain and localised flooding over the weekend.

 

The Disaster Operations Centre has received further reports of residential flooding on Monday, including in Ocean View and Bellville South, while assessments have been done in at least 20 informal settlements across areas such as Philippi East, Dunoon and Khayelitsha.

 

Officials say teams have been deployed to assess damage and provide relief where needed. This includes activating humanitarian assistance and alerting the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Department of Social Development to support affected residents.

 

The City says it recorded around 480 flood-related complaints since Friday, with widespread impacts reported in both formal and informal areas, including Gugulethu, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga and Kraaifontein.

 

Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, says while much of the water has drained, some flooding persists in areas where illegal structures have been built over stormwater systems, making maintenance difficult.

 

He adds that the City’s drainage infrastructure is designed to cope over time and not to remove water instantly during heavy downpours, meaning temporary flooding is expected during intense rainfall.

 

Multiple departments remain on the ground, clearing blocked drains, managing flooded roads and assisting residents with emergency materials.

 

At the same time, the City is boosting its winter readiness plans, including increased stormwater maintenance, targeted infrastructure upgrades in flood-prone areas and improved early warning systems in partnership with the South African Weather Service.

 

Residents are urged to dispose of waste responsibly to prevent blockages and report flooding only once water has not drained after rainfall has subsided.

 

 

Liesl Smit
Liesl Smit
Liesl is the Smile 90.4FM News Manager. She has been at Smile since 2016, with nearly 20 years experience in the radio industry, including reading news, field reporting and producing. In 2008 she won the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Award, Western Cape region. liesl@smile904.fm

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