Riverlands Disaster Steering Committee thrilled to see lives return to normal after floods

CAPE TOWN - The Riverlands Disaster Steering Committee says it is thrilled to see people's lives return to normal after the devastating floods in the town last year.
 
More than 200 people were forced to leave their homes when the walls of four nearby dams collapsed wreaking havoc in the town in August.
 
Flood victims took shelter at a local community centre, a church, and with friends and family.
 
Officials from the national Human Settlements Department are busy laying the foundations for at least 100 new temporary structures to benefit affected families.
 
Riverlands Disaster Steering Committee member, Ralph Burger, told EWN that it was fulfilling to see people smile again.
 
"Last year, we thought that it's going to be another long fight this year. But we were surprised early in the year, from the 6th of January already we were on the ground busy with the TRUs (temporary relocation units). Now we are seeing people who didn't have a smile on their faces, smiling again."
 
Burger said they're grateful to all the people who supported the victims when they needed it the most.
 
"The Love Church, the POP Centre, the Goedgedacht Trust, we are saying every day thank you. People in the community who gave a helping hand to build. To the Gift of the Givers, we want to say thank you for the blankets, toiletries etc."