Door-to-door high flood risk awareness raised to alert Driftsands residents

27 June 2025

In a proactive effort to protect communities during the winter rainfall season, the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has been conducting direct engagements with residents of 13 informal settlements in and around Driftsands to alert them to the dangers of living in a high-risk flood zone.

Earlier this month, officials visited communities in Qandu Qandu, Driftsands, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Extension, Sopkhama-Driftsands, Covid 19-Mfuleni, Congo-Mfuleni, Inqilo Street 1, Inqilo Street 2, Burundi-Mfuleni, Nyakitsha, Emseleni, Covid Village and Sondela 2 to urge residents to seek alternative accommodation ahead of potential flooding incidents.

These settlements are located upstream, within, or downstream of the Driftsands Dam area, which lies within the Driftsands Nature Reserve, bordered by Delft South and Mfuleni (between Old Faure Road and the N2). In the event of dam overflow or structural failure, nearby areas such as Delft, Green Park, Mfuleni, Sikumbule, Khayelitsha, Zandvlei and Macassar may also be impacted.

There is a high risk of flooding upstream and downstream of the Driftsands Dam during periods of heavy rain. Structures built in or on the dam wall further increase the risk of dam failure. I urge residents to consider relocating as a precautionary safety measure to protect themselves and their families,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Why this area is at risk

The Driftsands Dam was constructed for water management, not residential use. Housing structures built in, on, or around the dam wall have significantly compromised the integrity of the dam. During prolonged heavy rainfall, this increases the likelihood of dam wall collapse, potentially releasing millions of litres of water into the surrounding low-lying areas.

Flood evacuation could be extremely difficult

Floodwaters can rise rapidly and can sometimes reach roof height within minutes. Floating debris from damaged structures further increases the danger and makes evacuation in an emergency even more challenging. Residents located closest to the dam wall will have the least amount of time to evacuate, possibly only a few minutes.

It is worth noting that there are many locations across the city where structures have been built either on the banks of rivers and canals. These pose an immediate risk to property and life. The City will continue to identify these areas at risk and engage with these residents to find alternative locations to live. The City is also investigating other options available to it to prevent future invasions of these locations in order to protect residents from inadvertently being put at risk due to a flood event as a result of unpredictable and heavy rainfall patterns.

The City is appealing to residents in these high-risk zones to take the warnings seriously and seek safer living arrangements wherever possible. These engagements form part of the City's broader winter readiness efforts to mitigate disaster risk and protect lives.

Caption 1 and 2: City officials from the Water and Sanitation Directorate go door-to-door in Driftsands to warn residents living in a high-risk flood zone and encourage them to relocate as a safety precaution.

Caption 3: Illustration of the Driftsands floodplain, highlighting areas most at risk should the dam overflow or collapse due to prolonged rainfall.

End

Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town