Dozen of Wynberg residents have been left devastated after torrential rain and gusting winds tore off the roofs of their homes on Wednesday night, amid a heavy storm that has been wreaking havoc in Cape Town.
Wynberg ward councillor Carmen Siebritz says at least eight households, including minor children, were hardest hit by the storm in Wynberg East.
Siebritz reports: “Between Plumstead and Wynberg, there were at least 40 streets reporting power outages, fallen trees covering streets and blocking entrances and exits, an average of 22 flooded streets, which in some instances resulted in flooded homes too.”
Wynberg resident Mansour Wyngaard, 59, says they got a skrik just before midnight when their roof was blown off.
Mansour explains: “I have lived here all my life and this is the first time something like this happened to us in the 59 years that I'm living here, [it’s] a disaster.”
He says the whole house was soaked and the entire ceiling has to be removed, replaced and repainted.
He adds: “My wife was the only one at home and she phoned me to say I had to come home because the ceiling sagged.
“So I assumed it was only the ceiling, but when I came here I saw what happened. The roof and that of my two neighbours were also affected. But luckily no one got injured.”
Neighbours and family members rushed to assist the family remove their belongings amid the heavy rainfall.
The hartseer dad says: “It's going to take a while for us to recover because of all the loss. Unfortunately, I'm not insured.
“I bought the house about two months ago from my sisters. My daughter and I were going to go to the lawyers next week to sort everything out.”
While mense on social media speculated that a tornado ripped through the area, the Cape Town Weather Office says that it was unlikely.
A statement reads: “There is no meteorological evidence that suggests this is possible. The damage most likely occurred from strong straight line winds.”
Meanwhile, Nikiwe Swartbooi, 26, from Nkandla in Khayelitsha has been sheltering at a church opposite her home after the wind literally blew her shack apart last Friday.
The mom of three, who lives with her kids ages 14, 8, and a one-month-old newborn, says: “The storm took my house on Friday night. We were inside. I was scared because I have a baby.”
At the flooded home of Sonetta Kupido, 59, in Khayelitsha, efforts were underway yesterday to remove the water.
She says: “I’m staying here for 35 years now. I must ask children to come help me here.
“It's very stressful and the doctor said I mustn't stress because of my diabetes and high blood and I’ve got arthritis all over my body. It's very cold.”
Inside, a frail, elderly man could be seen trying to keep warm.
Kupido’s shack was one of the places visited by Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
Some 20 000 people have been affected by flooding and the mayor says: “We’re trying to focus our efforts on those where their properties are uninhabitable.”
The City’s Human Settlements Directorate has issued 6 500 flood relief kits so far.