The City of Cape Town says it has activated a multi-departmental emergency response and has assigned an additional budget for proactive stormwater management.
This follows heavy rainfall that swept across the metro this past weekend, Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19.
The City said the funding is specifically intended to mitigate the impact of heavy weather, though it cannot entirely prevent flooding during extreme events.
According to the City, approximately 480 flooding-related complaints were received from Friday, April 17, until the early morning of Monday, April 20 - teams were still assessing the damage.
Speaking to the CapeTowner, ward councillor Ian McMahon said they saw floods in Haytor Road, Greenpoint, some on Helen Suzman, Tennant Street, Primrose Street, and Chris Barnard Drive.
“We have had a few, but nothing large. We can thank the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) for their drains cleaning operations," he said.
Mr McMahon said that, during a meeting, the City indicated that it had already implemented its winter preparedness programme ahead of the traditional rainfall season, with mechanical and labour-intensive cleaning operations for stormwater infrastructure in place since July 2025.
According to the Roads Infrastructure Management (RIM) department, routine maintenance includes clearing catchpits, pipes and ponds, alongside rapid-response teams deployed during heavy rain events. However, the City notes that recurring localised flooding is largely driven by illegal dumping into stormwater systems, blocked or inaccessible infrastructure, and operational challenges such as labour turnover in cleaning teams.
The report indicates that all flood incidents are documented and reviewed to guide future interventions, while coordination between departments continues as part of a broader climate adaptation approach to manage increasing rainfall variability.
The City said the Urban Mobility Directorate, alongside Disaster Risk Management and various service departments, was working around the clock to address the impact of the heavy rainfall.
They said they are also implementing the following proactive measures for the 2026 winter season:
- Expanded Maintenance: Increased cleaning of stormwater networks to clear discarded rubbish.
- Targeted Upgrades: Focus on infrastructure in known flood-prone zones.
- Early Warnings: Close monitoring in partnership with the South African Weather Service.
They said they were clearing blocked stormwater drains and managing flooded roads, providing sand and milling for flood mitigation, assisting residents with emergency materials like plastic sheeting, and prioritising the most vulnerable and high-risk areas.
The City's mayco member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, said widespread areas across the city experienced localised flooding due to sustained downpours, where teams were busy with mopping up efforts.
He added that when such occurs, the maintenance teams physically can’t access the systems to clear them.
“Yesterday, we saw mattresses and wheelie bins pulled from our stormwater system, among other wildly inappropriate objects and materials. Obviously, this can create massive blockages. This notwithstanding, our teams are deployed to areas where flooding is reported, and this is happening throughout all eight districts across the metro.”
He added that low-lying areas, areas below steep mountainous terrain, and areas near canals and other water bodies will experience localised flooding whilst rainfall remains heavy.
‘Residents need to note that our stormwater infrastructure is designed to drain rainwater away over a period of time; it is not designed to make water disappear instantly during a heavy downpour. Localised flooding is expected while rain is falling.
“It is only considered a fault or a system failure if the water does not drain away after the rain has subsided. Residents in low-lying areas or those situated near water bodies are naturally more susceptible to localised flooding during intense weather events. And illegal buildings are also at risk, especially if they are erected in detention ponds," he said.
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