The Disaster Coordinating Team, comprising a range of City departments, provincial and national government representatives, and the SPCA, has held at least four daily briefings, to assess the impacts and monitor the efforts to address service challenges like residential flooding, flooding of roads and infrastructure, the removal of obstructions like trees from roadways, electricity outages, as well as responses to emergency incidents.
Among the interventions in response to the inclement weather:
· Logging and directing service requests and calls for help by the City’s Corporate Call Centre and the Public Emergency Communication Centre
· Clearing of blocked roadways and settlements by the Roads Department and Water & Sanitation
· Management of road closures and related impacts by the Safety & Security enforcement services
· Assessments and distribution of flood kits by the Informal Settlements Management Branch
· Assessments and activation of relevant departments by Disaster Risk Management
· Restoring electricity faults by the Energy Department
· Removing trees and debris from affected roadways by the Recreation and Parks Department
These efforts will continue until all service requests have been attended to, even after the weather clears.
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
Assessments by the Disaster Risk Management Centre and Human Settlements Department to date indicate that just over 33 000 households have been affected across the metropole – in both formal and informal settings, affecting some 95 000 people.
Since Monday, a host of NGO partners have come on board to assist with the distribution of thousands of meals, blankets, mattresses, beanies, roof sheeting and hygiene packs, amongst others, to affected communities.
The partners are Gift of the Givers, Islamic Relief, Ashraful Foundation, Living Hope, Mustadafin Foundation and Al Imdaad.
The City expresses its sincere appreciation to these organisations for their assistance.
DONATIONS
The rate of donations made or pledged has increased since the City issued a call for assistance in this regard on Sunday, 7 July.
The City would like to thank residents and businesses who have come on board and heeded the calls for donations of non-perishable foodstuff, personal hygiene items, nappies, baby formula, blankets and construction materials like wood and corrugated sheeting.
The public is reminded that donations can be made directly to their NGO of choice – alternatively, the City has designated six fire stations as donation drop off points.
These are Sir Lowry’s Pass, Strand, Goodwood, Ottery, Roeland Street and Lakeside.
Or, contact our Disaster Risk Management Centre Donations Line on 021 597 5042 between 08:00 and 18:00, or direct an email to [email protected]
Pick n Pay has set out trolleys at its store fronts for donations from shoppers.
