Cape Flood
Photo Credit: Gift of the Givers / Screengrab

When disaster strikes, you can always count on the heroes and helpers to arrive with open arms; Gift of the Givers is helping Cape Flood victims recover.

 

Western Cape, South Africa (26 September 2023) – The Cape Flood has taken many by surprise due to the unseasonably wet weather and the sheer amount of water that has flooded towns throughout the Western Cape. This is the second severe flooding incident in recent months and many families are needing help.

Without fail, Gift of the Givers has once again answered the call for help and ventured out into communities worst hit by the Cape Flood.

“Disaster Risk Management, municipalities and community members from Theewaterskloof, Cape Agulhas and various localities have called Gift of the Givers from early this morning requesting urgent flood assistance as homes are waterlogged, communities evacuated and roads washed away.

The Botrivier has burst it’s banks with parts of the N2 washed away leaving a trail of destruction. All the districts mentioned including Riviersonderend, Grabouw and Caledon have requested an intervention. Bredasdorp and Goliath Estate, informal settlement in Kraaifontein, 7 De Laan in Sandvlei, Sir Lowry Pass Village, Lwandle, Mbokweni, New Rest informal settlement and Gustav informal settlement have been completely flooded.

Gift of the Givers has divided responders into three teams to escalate the speed of response. In Southern Cape, the teams are handing out rain suits, have boats on standby and material aid in the event a crisis arises.”

They are doing everything they can to support these communities and are working with local municipalities. As they assess what needs to be done to help, we as South Africans can lend a helping hand too.

“Gift of the Givers team split into three divisions yesterday to respond to the huge deluge and flooding in the Western Cape, yet it was impossible to reach all communities simultaneously. The affected areas are vastly impacting more than ten thousand people in various communities along the N1, N2 and R60.

Access is a challenge with roads washed away, bridges unstable, rockfalls and uprooted trees. Botrivier, Caledon, Riviersonderend, Hermanus, De Doorns, Robertson, Ashton, Montague and Ladismith are all cut off. Formal houses are submerged, many informal settlements have been washed away, vehicles have been displaced and people’s material belongings have been destroyed.”

They need the following in the form of physical donatons:

  • Sandbags,
  • bottled water,
  • hot meals,
  • fortified foods,
  • mattresses,
  • blankets,
  • new clothing,
  • hygiene packs,
  • sanitary pads and diapers,
  • building materials,
  • food parcels,
  • stationery and uniforms.

Those wanting to contribute to assist the thousands in distress, can kindly deposit into the below or donate via BackaBuddy here.

Gift of the Givers,
Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg,
Account number 052137228,
Branch Code 057525,
ref ‘Floods’.

Please send us a deposit slip to donations@giftofthegivers.org to receive a Section 18A tax deductible certificate.

You can also help them by supporting here.


Sources: Gift of the Givers / 2
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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