More than 400 Western Cape residents from 50 households have been moved to shelters following the collapse of two retention dam walls that caused flooding and destroyed homes in Chatsworth andd Riverside, outside Malmesbury. People were left homeless, stranded and in need of humanitarian assistance

STILL INVESTIGATING

Swartland Municipality spokesperson, Heinrich Robertson, said relevant stakeholders are still investigating the cause of the dam collapse.

"A few weeks ago, this area and the broader Kalbaskraal area, which is very close to one another, obviously had to bear the brunt of severe weather conditions.So, whether it was over full or whether it was just a defect in the wall of the dam, that's obviously going to be in the report and we are waiting for those engineers to return."

NO DEATHS

The Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell said 15 people who almost drowned were saved.

"Injured persons have been assessed for near-drowning and transported to nearby hospitals for observation and further treatment."

Reports earlier suggested that two people had gone missing following the flooding incident, however, Bredell confirmed that no people were missing and no fatalities had been reported by the Swartland Municipality.

"Initial reports indicate extensive damage to property and infrastructure. While the Swartland Municipality has reported no injuries or missing persons at this time, efforts are ongoing to reach areas that were initially inaccessible due to the flooding" he said.

He said engineers were conducting onsite inspections to assess the extent of the damages caused on infrastructure, meanwhile humanitarian aid was delivered.

"The priority is to ensure that all affected individuals have access to clean water and basic services throughout the weekend," he said.