Residents across Cape Town have been grappling with the aftermath of relentless rainfall and icy conditions that battered the city this week, causing significant flooding across multiple neighbourhoods and disrupting transport routes.
Although meteorologists from the South African Weather Service have forecast some relief, with indications that the worst of the storm has passed, rainfall is expected to persist until late on Sunday evening.
The downpours brought widespread disruption to both formal and informal settlements, with vulnerable communities bearing the brunt of the damage. From Kommetjie along the southern peninsula to Paarden Eiland near the city’s harbour, flooding incidents were reported across the length and breadth of the city.
In the early hours of yesterday morning, motorists travelling from the M5 towards the N1 faced severe delays after sections of the flyover near Paarden Eiland were submerged. In a city where infrastructure often struggles under extreme weather, the storm quickly highlighted persistent vulnerabilities.
Maitland. No drainage whatsoever . Doesn’t look like a best run city to me. @Our_DA @CityofCT pic.twitter.com/HqVTomSuZB
— Shwabada (@deroxrimez) June 25, 2025
Communities hardest hit included Khayelitsha, Vygieskraal, Parkwood, Bonnytoun, Imizamo Yethu, Hangberg, and Overcome Heights. Many residents woke to find their homes inundated.
Sonica Lategan, the spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management, confirmed that assessments are ongoing as officials continue to tally the damage.
“Reports have been received from several informal settlement areas throughout the afternoon – some assessments have already taken place – these will continue at first light tomorrow,”
she stated.
Preliminary estimates from Vygieskraal suggest that approximately 269 structures have been affected, impacting close to 600 individuals. Meanwhile, in Belgravia’s Voël Street area, 55 homes suffered flood damage.
Support for those affected has begun to trickle in from non-governmental organisations, with Lategan adding,
“The Mustadafin Foundation and Islamic Relief are assisting affected residents in Vygieskraal and Belgravia.”
The City has urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any emergencies promptly.
“Mense are urged to report emergency incidents to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre at 021 480 7700,”
Lategan advised.
Visual evidence of the flooding quickly circulated across social media platforms. Residents from suburbs including Elsies River, Bergvliet, Ottery, Claremont, and Strandfontein shared images and videos revealing submerged streets and stranded vehicles.
Baden Powell Drive, a vital coastal route, was among the most severely affected. Floodwaters overwhelmed areas near the Strandfontein Pavilion, with reports of standing water extending from the first circle towards Sunrise Circle. Commuters faced treacherous conditions along this stretch, often forced to navigate through waterlogged roadways.
Elsewhere, Ottery Centre’s parking lot resembled a shallow lake. Video footage captured during the storm showed vehicles partially submerged, with water levels rising to the grills of some cars, leaving motorists unable to move them.
The situation in various parts of the city was continuously updated by the City’s Traffic Services. Flooding was confirmed in Diep River’s Greenwich Road, as well as on Govan Mbeki and Edward Makele Roads in Gugulethu, Klipfontein Road in Gugulethu, and Manitoba Close in Mitchells Plain’s Portlands area.
Traffic Services spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout has cautioned that the wet weather is far from over. Motorists are being advised to exercise extreme caution in the coming days as roads remain slick and dangerous.
“The wet conditions are expected to continue for the next few days. Motorists are urged to watch their speed and following distance, and to drive with their headlights on,”
she warned.
Despite some forecasts pointing towards an easing of the storm, Cape Town’s residents are being reminded to brace for continued rain and potential localised flooding as emergency teams continue their work on the ground.
The scale of the disruption has once again ignited conversations around the city’s ability to manage extreme weather, particularly in vulnerable communities where housing structures cannot always withstand such conditions. Authorities have not yet provided a final damage assessment but are expected to do so as recovery efforts continue into the weekend.
