Province seeks national aid after R9bn storm losses

The Western Cape government has appealed to national authorities for financial assistance following severe weather in May that caused an estimated R9bn in damage across the province. Agriculture suffered the heaviest losses, exceeding R5.2bn, as flooding affected wine and fruit farms, destroyed crops and killed livestock. Infrastructure damage reached nearly R2bn, with roads and other facilities requiring extensive repairs.

A national disaster was declared after torrential rains, strong winds and flooding struck communities. The events resulted in 11 deaths, one person missing, 231,029 people affected and 22,890 houses damaged. Power supply has been restored to 95% of affected areas by Eskom, though some residents in the hardest-hit districts remain without electricity.

Premier Alan Winde stated that the province’s budget will need reprioritisation to cover repairs, as national government support is unlikely to meet the full requirement. He plans to write to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Local government MEC Anton Bredell is in contact with the minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa. The provincial cabinet noted that the damage will have a significant impact on the provincial and broader economy. Winde observed that recent weather events rank among the most severe in recent memory and warned that future climate-related disasters will carry higher costs, requiring adjusted national budgeting.

In the Knysna area, heavy rainfall prompted emergency distribution of plastic sheeting and sandbags. The People’s Movement for Change has raised concerns that some relief materials may not have reached verified beneficiaries and has questioned adherence to approved recipient lists. In a letter to the acting municipal manager, the party called for an investigation, stronger oversight and improved controls over future distributions.

The municipality responded that assistance followed a verification process through the joint operations centre, involving assessments by law enforcement, human settlements and building control officials. It maintains distribution records for accountability and stated that it takes reports of misuse seriously, encouraging any evidence of wrongdoing to be reported to the police. The municipality said it would not respond to unsupported political allegations.

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has proposed a blended state-private insurance scheme to assist affected farmers. The province continues to coordinate submissions to the National Disaster Management Centre while assessing long-term fiscal implications.