Floods in Greyton

Between 20 and 26 November 2007 310mm rain fell in the wider Greyton / Genadendal area. In 2005 the total rainfall for Greyton was 502mm to put this in perspective. Thus 2/3 of the average total rainfall fell in just 3 ½ days.

As a background to the floods and damage that ensued, the picture is as follows :

Greater Greyton (unofficially) consists of:

• Greyton (350)
• Heuwelkroon (740)
• Boschmanskloof (260)

There is high unemployment and many people live on or below the poverty line, existing on child grants and pensions.

The topography consists of high mountains, steep slopes, deep valleys and flood plain with all that goes in between. This makes for a high water table leading to massive runoff from the catchment, mudslides, huge erosion gulleys, inaccessibility, entrapment and many houses/properties vulnerable to flooding and wash aways, a precarious and unstable situation for many of the poorest of the poor.

There are, in many cases, no storm water drains, and where these exist they are often clogged with detritus. Many of the houses are constructed of mud bricks or are rudely-constructed corrugated iron shacks, perched on steeply sloping plots.

In many cases there are no ablution facilities and people are dependent upon the bucket system.

Water and electricity went off during the first few hours of the first downpour on 20 November. Electricity in some areas was off for over 24 hours, and water in some cases has only just been restored (and is extremely dirty) during the last few hours).

Greyton Red Cross did a survey of all households within Heuwelkroon and Boschmanskloof during 2005, so at the height of the initial storm, volunteers went round all the most vulnerable properties, establishing a list of needs, immediate and ongoing which made a basis for the ensuing operations.

It must be pointed out that this is a remote rural area where Municipal authorities and even the police are, during emergencies, stretched to the limits, so our Red Cross Committee, young and old, all volunteers, rallied to the cause and fulfilled a number of vital roles, day and night. 30 food parcels were handed out 100 blankets were provided to the desperate and those in Genadendal who were housed in the Town Hall, due to mudslides in the area.

35 large pots of thick nutritious soup were made over the 4 worst days of the floods. Some of this was collected by a steady stream of men, women and children, but much of it was loaded into vehicles and taken to the most hard-hit and inaccessible situations.

An estimated 60% of the population were fed and tended to over the four days The Red Cross Committee, all volunteers (6 members in all) worked tirelessly together, Executive and VAC’s, and hand in hand with the TWK Municipality and the Police.

Jennie Martin
Chairperson
Greyton Red Cross
Tel: 27-28-254-9463
Cell: 082-893-2284

8 Justice Street, Greyton, 7233
 

Banking Details

Red Cross Greyton
Standard Bank
Caledon Branch: 050112
Account Number: 185282245