(Photo: Provided)
The damage caused by the recent heavy rains in the Garden Route district in the Western Cape could amount to more than half a billion rand.
So says Gerhard Otto, the head of disaster management at the Garden Route district municipality, after municipalities in the Garden Route district have completed their preliminary damage assessments.
The consolidated assessment, compiled by the district municipality, with information received from affected local residents, identifies widespread damage to critical infrastructure, public facilities, water supply systems, roads, storm water networks, public facilities and municipal buildings.
According to Otto, the greatest damage was done in George, followed by Knysna and the Bitou municipality.
Several strategic infrastructure projects, including water supply systems, roads, bridges, public facilities and economic development assets, require urgent intervention to restore services and reduce future risks in view of disasters.
The prioritized rehabilitation projects for the region include:
- R124.6 million worth of repairs must be completed to roads and associated stormwater infrastructure in George, Haarlem and Uniondale.
- More than R97 million worth of damage was caused to the surface of roads, the N2 and the main street of Knysna.
- R93.6 million worth of damage was caused to Uniondale Port’s groundwater diversion infrastructure and supply to the Uniondale groundwater storage dam.
- R70 million worth of damage was caused to Oudtshoorn.
- R48.8 million worth of repairs must be completed in Knysna, Sedgefield, Brenton, Rheenendal and Karatara.
The damage assessments indicate that thousands of residents have been directly or indirectly affected by disruptions to essential services, roads and public facilities.
Otto says municipal technical teams continue to conduct detailed assessments to refine cost estimates and prioritize emergency repairs.
“The Garden Route District Municipality, together with affected local municipalities, is in discussion with provincial and national government structures to secure funding for post-disaster repairs as well as financial support. The municipalities have also allocated resources where possible to attend to immediate risks and to restore critical services.”
Marais Kruger, the mayor of the Garden Route District Municipality, says the affected municipalities have already begun emergency response and repair work, and external funding will be essential to ensure full recovery and strengthen infrastructure resilience for the future.
Priority projects include the rehabilitation of water infrastructure, repairs to municipal buildings and public facilities, the repair of damaged roads and stormwater systems, and measures aimed at reducing the impact of future disasters.