Cape Town prepares for winter storms

By Khanyisa Tabata
04 May 2010

The City of Cape Town says they have already started implementing a comprehensive plan to deal with the inevitable effects of the forthcoming winter storms.

Director of Roads and Stormwater Henry du Plessis, says various departments are co-coordinating and implementing their plans and mitigation measures to manage flooding and minimize possible storm damage in the coming months.

“Due to last year’s wet winter season, ground water is currently at elevated levels which could increase the possibility of flooding, especially in informal areas.

“Due to preventative measures taken by City departments the number of buildings and structures affected decreased from 22 323 in 2008 to 11 507 in 2009. Just over 70 000 residents were affected in 2009 as opposed to 75 256 in 2008,” said du Plessis.

Du Plessis says the department is responsible for 7 500 kilometre of pipe lines.

This week service providers will begin site preparation and installation of underground services on four sites in Khayelitsha and Mfuleni.

The sites will be able to accommodate 1500 units, and recipients will be identified from flood-prone areas in Mfuleni and Khayelitsha respectively.