With the western parts of South Africa undergoing disruptive weather for the rest of the week, efforts are under way to help keep communities safe and warm.

Listen to this article 7 min Listen to this article 7 min Weather warnings have been upgraded for municipalities across the Western Cape as a series of cold fronts make landfall. At the same time, relief efforts are being stepped up, especially for the most vulnerable.

The South African Weather Service has warned of Level 8 disruptive rain for Thursday over the Cape Town, Drakenstein and Stellenbosch areas.

For almost a week, heavy rains have caused havoc across the Western and Northern Cape, with residents also battling damaging winds and snow in parts.

"We are concerned about the possibility of flooding, mudslides and rockfalls, and urge people to remain safe, avoid unnecessary travel and keep informed through reputable news outlets," said Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Anton Bredell.

The City of Cape Town said on Tuesday afternoon that initial assessments indicated about 5,000 residents had been affected by the bad weather.

"We've issued approximately 4,500 flood kits... assessments of requests received are continuing," said Mayco Member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim.

"The city will be working nonstop this week so that we can help as many residents and as quickly as possible. The worst affected areas are Khayelitsha, Lwadle...