Disaster victims treated to lunch
WHAT A DITE: Rice, pumpkin and chicken
Victims of the heavy floods that swept through informal settlements in Macassar last week were treated to a lekker lunch on Sunday after they had lost Ain the disaster.
Several families from Croydon and Sandvlei currently being housed at the Macassar Civic Centre sat down and shared their stories while enjoying a plate of yellow rice, pumpkin and chicken.
Anna Davids, 70, says it was one of the worst experiences of her life: “It was very bad, we have lost absolutely everything because we couldn't save our stuff.”
Torrential rain and wind reaching speeds of between 40 and 60km/h battered the Western Cape over the Heritage Day long weekend, resulting in flooding across the province.
Anna says as her home started to fill with water, her only thought was to get to safety, leaving all of her possessions behind.
“I just had to run because the water pushed me out of the room. I ran without anything because there wasn’t time [to save anything],” she recalled.
“However, I’m grateful for the warm plate of food and for all the other stuff we have received.”
Community activist Auriel September, who organised the lunch for the 67 residents, says it’s not clear when they will be able to go back home.
“If you open their doors water is still coming out,” she said, adding that the residents will need a lot of help to rebuild their lives.
However, a grateful Cupido Afrika, 65, added: “The food was nice, I haven’t had a warm plate of food in a while so I want to thank the people who blessed us as a family.”