- Nolusindiso Masangwana spent a sleepless night removing water from her flooded Khayelitsha home as furniture and belongings were destroyed by rain.
- A mother chose staying home over work to protect children from flooding, while the city warns cemetery operations could be disrupted.
Nolusindiso Masangwana spent the night fighting floodwater with her bare hands as heavy rains turned her Khayelitsha home into a swimming pool.
The 45-year-old mother from Makhaza township watched helplessly as water destroyed her furniture and belongings during Tuesday's downpours.
"We didn't sleep last night as the water came inside the house during the day. We couldn't take anything to our neighbours because they are facing similar problems," said Masangwana.
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She and her family are still waiting for help to arrive.
"We are waiting for the officials; they haven't reached our area yet. The most important thing that we need is a truck to remove water from our area," said Masangwana.
The heavy rains that started Tuesday morning have caused chaos across Cape Town, forcing residents to choose between work and their children's safety.
A desperate mother in the Newrest informal settlement couldn't go to work because she feared leaving her kids alone in their flooded shack.
"Staying in a shack is a problem, but even those who are staying in formal houses are experiencing the same thing. I couldn't take the risk of going to work and leaving my kids alone; their lives are more important than work," she said.
The flooding has been so severe that the city has warned cemetery operations could be disrupted. Saturated water tables might force families to use shallower graves or alternative burial sites.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Sonica Lategan said their teams will continue assessments in flooded areas to determine what help is needed.
"Already, we have organisations, including the Mustadafin Foundation and Islamic Relief, assisting in Vygieskraal and Belgravia, where collectively more than 600 people were impacted," said Lategan.
Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham, said experience shows that heavy rain causes water tables to rise.
"While staff try to be as proactive as possible, saturated water tables or flooding pose challenges that are not always easily resolved," said Higham.
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She asked undertakers and families planning burials to be mindful that conditions might require changes to burial plans.
