Amnesty calls on SA govt to speedily address informal settlement crisis

A new report by Amnesty International has urged the South African government to speedily address informal settlements crisis.

It looks at the incidence and impact of floods (large-scale and seasonal), caused by heavy rain, on residents of informal settlements and underserved areas in South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg, eThekwini, and Cape Town.

Amnesty International campaigner, Cassandra Dorasamy, said that residents described living in constant fear of rain, knowing it means damaged property, lost wages, missed school days and health hazards.

The report concludes that the government is failing millions of people who are trapped in these vulnerable communities during escalating climate disasters.

Amnesty calls for action on two fronts: providing safe housing for all South Africans and implementing climate adaptation measures such as storm water drainage and early warning systems.

"An urgent intervention is needed right now to ensure the protection of over five million people who are living in informal settlements in the context of the increasing intensity and frequency of flooding."

To listen to Dorasamy in conversation with 702 and CapeTalk’s Mandy Wiener, click the audio player below: