Cape Town mayor Dan Plato has lashed out at people who insist on living in flood-prone areas.
At the first council meeting of the year yesterday, Plato announced that the city would ensure that it was "prepared and ready" for the coming winter.
The winter planning committee would begin its work on February 1 to ensure the city could assist people affected by flooding,
Thousands of people were displaced every year during the wet winter months, but he argued that 50 percent of the effect of flooding could be solved if people listened to the city's advice to not erect shacks in vleis and wetlands.
Plato said three parcels of land had been identified to which people could be relocated, and it was hoped that all legal processes to make the land available would be finalised by winter.
"But I need to add that people must understand the other side of the coin.
"I warned people five years ago to move their structures to dry land. They refused to listen, and they'd rather burn tyres."
He said he could not understand why people did not erect their structures on dry land, adding that during recent visits to the informal settlements of Malawi and Burundi he had observed structures "knee-deep" in water, when there was dry land "metres away".
"Mark my words. (Mayco member for housing Shehaam) Sims and I will this winter be called out again to same areas because people refuse to move," he said.
Plato said ward councillors should encourage and assist people to move and to not erect structures in flood-prone areas.
In a similar vein, deputy mayor and Mayco member for finance Ian Neilson pleaded for people to take responsibility for their physical environment, saying the city's budget would go "much further" in providing services if less was spent on repairing vandalised infrastructure.
"If we get greater co-operation from people assisting in creating space for services and ensuring (infrastructure) is not vandalised, we will be able to go much further," he said.
"It also means funds will become available, instead of going towards maintenance. Across the board a large amount of money is being spent," Neilson added.
Plato said people set up homes wherever they chose, but if you "touched" them, the "whole world" took issue.
"But in winter, when it floods, the city gets blamed."
He also lambasted community leaders who blocked the city from providing essential services while they "moaned" about inadequate delivery.
"Councillors do nothing. They love controversy, but the people suffer," he said.
Plato also railed against "urbanisation, the influx into the city", saying the budget could not take the additional strain being put on it.
"We don't have the budget to say, 'Come to Cape Town, Cape Town will immediately provide you with services'," he said.
He warned too against turning "each and every issue" into a political game of point-scoring ahead of next year's local government elections.
- Cape Argus
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