Hundred million rands for housing in flood affected areas of Cape Town

by Mishkah Anthony
10 July 2008

Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille has announced that the City has acquired land worth R100-million for residential development in the traditionally flood-hit areas. The recent heavy downpours again caused abject hardship for thousands of people living in low-lying areas and Zille says the newly bought land will be used to accommodate these people. Some thirty thousand people have been adversely affected by the floods with nearly three thousand being housed in community halls across the city. Zille added that a lack of suitable land was one of the contributing factors to the flood crisis.

Meanwhile, the South African Air Force has flown in food and emergency supplies to people stricken by floods on the West Coast. Dozens of families in the Citrusdal area remain cut off from the outside world.And the water level in the Olifants River has dropped, allowing motorists to reach Vredendal.