Storm-Battered Western Cape Declared A Disaster Area

The Western Cape has been officially designated as a disaster area following multiple severe cold fronts.

This declaration came after the provincial government sought disaster classification from the National Disaster Risk Management Centre, given that approximately 100,000 residents in Cape Town have been severely affected by the harsh weather.

Further complicating the situation, more heavy rainfall is anticipated this weekend, prompting an orange level 6 weather warning for the municipalities of Drakenstein, Witzenberg, and Stellenbosch.

Wouter Kriel, spokesperson for the Provincial Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, commented on the crisis:

“We can confirm that the National Disaster Management Centre has granted us a disaster classification. This will be very useful for us to mobilise resources from various spheres of government in the near future as we address these challenges.”