Whilst the heavy rains at the week-end come as a great relief for most residents of George, some dread the drops because the direct implication is that of suffering and damage.
Zizipho Saule (18) and Sandisiwe Gongqongqo (15), both scholars at respectively PW Botha College and Mzoxolo Primary, have to sleep at the Multi Purpose Centre in Thembalethu with their mom and five other family members, because their RDP home is under water. They are one of five families (34 individuals) that had to take shelter at the centre.
Zizipho and Sandisiwe explain how it is not an isolated case. "Every time it rains we have to pack our things and leave the house because it gets flooded. We have lost so much furniture." Their mother’s brand new chest of drawers is ruined from all the water.
While we paid a visit to their home, several people in the vicinity were seen carrying buckets of water from their hou-ses. Some dug trenches next to their homes to help the water flow away from the walls.
"I don’t understand how the municipality can just watch this happening - time and again," says Guga. "What happened to all the funds George received after we were declared a disaster area? Why can’t we help these people who have to suffer from these living conditions? How long do they have to wait?"
According to Guga the people have to wait years for their RDP houses, only to be left with no home the moment nature plays up. "These houses are built so badly, some of the wooden shacks seem to whether the storm better," he says.
According to Gerhard Otto, head of Eden’s disaster management, George was not declared as a flood disaster area in 2009, but only as a drought disaster area last year in November.
"There were no provincial or national funds available to assist those who experienced problems after last year’s storms in June. The funds received from the 2006/7 floods have all been spent by the various departments on matters such as the mending of storm water pipes, amongst others," says Otto.
George municipal spokesperson Cathy Dippnall confirms that the fire brigade assisted 34 residents of Zone 9 in vacating five structures, which became too wet for occupation after the rains. There were no other reports for assistance.
"Their houses were too wet to stay in, so the department of community safety helped residents to move temporarily to the Multi Purpose Centre. They were given blankets and food to help them through the worst," says Dippnall.
Only 12 of the 34 residents were still at the Multi Purpose Centre by Tuesday afternoon. "It is expected that everyone will be back in their own homes by Wednesday. Once a family is affected (by rain) the municipality tries to make sure that pro-blems with their property are dealt with to ensure that it does not happen again."
Rain damage mostly affected areas of Thembalethu and Syferfontein.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: MICHELLE PIENAAR
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The two nieces Zizipho Saule and Sandisiwe Gongqongqo stand foot deep in the water, after most of it was captured in buckets.
