Cape Town - Kosovo residents whose shacks have been flooded are blamed for the blocked stormwater drains, resulting in their three-week-long nightmare.
About 600 homes in the community are water-logged, with some slowly drying up. This flooding was a result of last month’s heavy rains in the Cape and residents pleaded with officials to speed up relocation plans after promises of temporary structures were made.
Officials said plans were delayed due to internal processes and only a portion of the development is reportedly under way.
Songezo Teto, from Section C, who recently renovated his three-roomed shack had to relocate to Samora Machel with his family of five. He now has to walk for 20 minutes to catch his staff transport in Kosovo.
"Life is tough in Kosovo and the flooding made it even worse. The water isn't moving, furniture got damaged and the children got sick. After a failed attempt to dry my place I had no choice but to seek a rental place. It's also a shack. Government isn't doing anything to help us.
“We know nothing about the relocation plans that were promised. At this point, I don't mind where they place me as long it will be a proper home for my three children. We plead with the government to do something and move us from the wetland."
Mayco member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, said the flooding was due to blockages of drains and illegal activities.
"We are aware of the situation and our teams have been working tirelessly to resolve this issue for the past three weeks. We have a water pump on site to ease the situation.
“However, the challenge with Kosovo Sections A and B is the constant presence of grey water, leaking stand pipes or illegal connections and illegal dumping in infrastructure which exacerbates the flooding and blockages. Some manholes are also blocked and our officials are struggling to gain access and clean them due to illegal structures, specifically in Kosovo A.
"Earlier this month, a team went into the area to clean the blocked drains manually as we cannot access the manholes with machines, due to the illegal structures. We are working hard to resolve the flooding issue, but we also need to consider the well-being and safety of our staff, as well as that of our contractors,“ Quintas added.
Community leader Khaya Ncaphayi said officials came to assess the situation a week ago.
"The problem of stormwater drains could have been avoided if the City was servicing the area more frequently. Now people are living in an overflowing sewage, with nappies flowing into the shacks.
“There are frogs and all other elements that shouldn't be in contact with people. Since they're failing to service the area, we urge that people are moved before we get other expected winter rains," Ncaphayi added.
Nathan Adriaanse, spokesperson at the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements, said the redevelopment was dependent on alternative vacant land and that the redevelopment was nearing completion.
"The first phase of de-densification is being undertaken by the development of Farm 694. This development, providing 434 residential opportunities to beneficiaries from both Kosovo and the New Woodlands communities, is nearing construction completion. The department is currently busy sourcing beneficiaries from both these communities who will be relocated to their new homes.
"The second phase will occur by relocating beneficiaries to the Weltevreden Wedge. The department is busy undertaking the conceptual planning stages of the Weltevreden Wedge, which has been earmarked for residents from, among others, the Kosovo Informal Settlement.
“The department will be commencing with the formal statutory land-use applications for the Wedge in late 2022 and will seek to secure development rights for the first phases of development in the Wedge during the 2023 financial year. Construction will commence as soon as the necessary development rights are in place and funding is made available for bulk infrastructure."