Informal settlements residents pleas for help

By Rhodé Marshall
27 July 2007

Three shack settlements in the Cape Peninsula who have been hit the hardest by the recent storms, say the City of Cape Town is failing to respond to their continuous pleas for help.

The residents of Civic Road, Kakaskraal and Zille Raine Heights have had their shacks completely flooded this week, following the sweeps of rain.

“The residents are all walking in water up to their knees,” says coordinator for the Zille Raine Heights Residents Association, Lorraine Heunis.

She says they have phoned several disaster management numbers belonging to the City of Cape Town.

“We have spoken to officials who promised to come around to our area and assist us to ease the plight, but this has only been empty promises,” says Heunis.

More than 100 families have been forced to put their electricity off in fear of being electrocuted.

“People must be brought disaster relief, most of us are not working, we want blankets, soup and plastic for the roofs,” says Heunis.

Happy Valley, Joe Slovo settlement and Langa has also been completely flooded.

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