By Chanel September
30 June 2007
The icy and cold conditions experienced in Cape Town this past week have affected the poor and those living in informal settlements the hardest.
The freezing conditions have left many homeless as their homes were flooded by heavy rainfalls.
“The rain contributes to the rising of the water table and in low lying areas where informal settlements are located, areas which are not really suitable for development’, says Disaster Management spokesperson Johan Minnie.
But health problems also pose a threat. “Cold and winter illnesses led to a greater number of people visiting community health centres, clinics and hospitals with colds and flu being the common problems”, says City of Cape Town health director Dr Ivan Toms
30 June 2007
The icy and cold conditions experienced in Cape Town this past week have affected the poor and those living in informal settlements the hardest.
The freezing conditions have left many homeless as their homes were flooded by heavy rainfalls.
“The rain contributes to the rising of the water table and in low lying areas where informal settlements are located, areas which are not really suitable for development’, says Disaster Management spokesperson Johan Minnie.
But health problems also pose a threat. “Cold and winter illnesses led to a greater number of people visiting community health centres, clinics and hospitals with colds and flu being the common problems”, says City of Cape Town health director Dr Ivan Toms
"The spread of tuberculosis in winter is a cause of concern as the TB bacteria survived longer in damp conditions”, says Toms.
Despite the last few days of sunshine experienced in the city residents can brace themselves for, another cold front as more rain expected for the weekend.
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