More than 88 000 people affected by storms - JP Smith, City of Cape Town

Africa Melane speaks with Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security in the City of Cape Town

Listen below.

Coastal provinces this past week were battered by intense cyclones and storms leading to infrastructure damage.

The Western Cape, in particular, was hard hit by heavy rain and strong winds.

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People in informal settlements have been disproportionately affected by floods and loss of infrastructure.

“People in those informal settlements are condemned to every single risk that arises.”

- Alderman JP Smith, Safety and Security - City of Cape Town

Smith says the storm has damaged 30 965 structures and affected 88 275 people.

He adds that the City has programmes to prevent flooding in vulnerable areas, however, a large number of settlements were created during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has, he says, led to this problem.

They have put in minor interventions but those have been overwhelmed by the storm's severity.

Scroll up to the audio player for the interview.