Hope and recovery: Riverlands families move into new homes after devastating floods
Riverlands flood victims are finally able to start rebuilding their lives after 14 residents received the keys to their new structures this week.
During August last year, devastation struck at Riverlands community in the Swartland Municipality where three farm dams located near Malmesbury breached, resulting in flooding that caused severe property and infrastructure damage to the affected area.
And tragedy kept knocking when the same residents, who were temporarily housed in two community centres, received an eviction notice, which would allow a much-needed community scheme to continue services over the festive period.
However, the residents’ glimmer of hope arrived this week when 14 families received the keys to their temporary relocation unit, handed over by the national Department of Human Settlements, which they could now move into and start calling home.
One of the affected residents, Mariana Cupido, who had lost all effects of her entrepreneurial decor business, said she felt relieved.
“I can finally start picking up the pieces of my life again. I moved to the Riverlands after I lost my only son. Then the flooding happened, I was struck with tragedy again. It has been a very difficult time but I am hopeful now again. While it may not yet be completely the way it should be, as we wait for water and electricity to be connected, it is a start. I have been very emotional about this.
“I am happy and relieved. I lost everything in the floods and after the eviction from the community centre, I moved to Cape Town where I at least had a place even just to lay my head down. I am relieved and I am happy,” said Cupido.
Riverlands Steering Committee spokesperson, Ralph Burger, said residents were unable to start picking up the pieces of their lives but could now start with the recovery of their lives.
“One of the women told me that she was glad not to feel like a beggar anymore being at the mercy of others. We will now wait for the quantification and merits for the people and their compensation. We are happy there has been such progress while other meetings with other directorates are still on the cards,” said Burger.
The dam breach led to hundreds of people being provided with humanitarian assistance after they were left destitute.
Previously, Burger said residents had lost their tools, equipment, and stock, making it impossible to restart their businesses, creating a domino effect.
Last year, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina confirmed that the dams would be decommissioned.
In a preliminary investigation report, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development was identified as the dams’ current owner.
chevon.booysen@inl.co.za