The city has identified two vacant pieces of land to which those worst hit by the floods can be relocated, and it will select the more suitable site today, although it will not force anyone to move there.
On Tuesday, the city's disaster risk management team reported that 22,000 people - in about 70 informal settlements, with 5,200 structures affected - had been left homeless by the downpours and strong winds that have swept through large parts of the province.
Mayoral committee member for housing Dan Plato told the Cape Argus that engineers and city housing and finance officials would meet today before deciding on which piece of land was more suitable for immediate relocation. Plato did not want to name the two sites, fearing there could be illegal occupations in the meantime.
"We need to determine if they can stand the test of flooding," he said.
On Tuesday, Plato and Mayor Helen Zille visited several areas to assess flood damage, including informal settlements at Lusaka in Philippi and Rotterdam near Silversands.
Zille said some of the worst effects of the flooding had been alleviated by rapid mopping-up operations and clearing of drains.
On Tuesday teams from the city's transport, roads and stormwater directorate pumped out stagnant water at some settlements to reduce potential health risks.
Referring to possible relocations, Zille said the decision to move was "entirely" up to those affected. "I am not in the business of removals."
Plato said the city would provide housing starter kits and would help move those who had their own structures.
The worst-hit areas identified by the city are Kanana and Lotus in Gugulethu, QQ Section, CT Section and Bani Mole kwani in Khayelitsha, Kosovo, Bongani TR section in Masiphumelele, Doornbach near Table View, Sweet Home in Philippi, Pholile Masakane and Soly's Town in Strand, and Gqobazi in Nyanga. Other settlements such as Freedom Farm and Malawi were also affected. - Cape Argus
On Tuesday, the city's disaster risk management team reported that 22,000 people - in about 70 informal settlements, with 5,200 structures affected - had been left homeless by the downpours and strong winds that have swept through large parts of the province.
Mayoral committee member for housing Dan Plato told the Cape Argus that engineers and city housing and finance officials would meet today before deciding on which piece of land was more suitable for immediate relocation. Plato did not want to name the two sites, fearing there could be illegal occupations in the meantime.
"We need to determine if they can stand the test of flooding," he said.
On Tuesday, Plato and Mayor Helen Zille visited several areas to assess flood damage, including informal settlements at Lusaka in Philippi and Rotterdam near Silversands.
Zille said some of the worst effects of the flooding had been alleviated by rapid mopping-up operations and clearing of drains.
On Tuesday teams from the city's transport, roads and stormwater directorate pumped out stagnant water at some settlements to reduce potential health risks.
Referring to possible relocations, Zille said the decision to move was "entirely" up to those affected. "I am not in the business of removals."
Plato said the city would provide housing starter kits and would help move those who had their own structures.
The worst-hit areas identified by the city are Kanana and Lotus in Gugulethu, QQ Section, CT Section and Bani Mole kwani in Khayelitsha, Kosovo, Bongani TR section in Masiphumelele, Doornbach near Table View, Sweet Home in Philippi, Pholile Masakane and Soly's Town in Strand, and Gqobazi in Nyanga. Other settlements such as Freedom Farm and Malawi were also affected. - Cape Argus
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