As rains continued to wreak havoc across the province, chaos erupted at Ntwasahlobo Primary School on Tuesday 14 June as learners and teachers could not access the school premises due to flooding.
A group of learners who arrived at the school early tried to gain access by climbing on the school fence, while teachers had to wait in their vehicles outside in the pouring rain with water making it impossible to enter the school.
Teaching and learning was eventually halted and learners sent home.
Some parts of the province experienced heavy rains since Sunday 12 June with many communities, especially in the townships, struggling with floods as water came into their shacks.
Motorists had to find alternative routes as several roads were affected by flooding.
At Ntwasahlobo, in Site B, teaching had to be called off after learners and teachers failed to access the school.
Bangiso Street, which leads to the school, had to be barricaded to prevent motorists and pedestrians from using it while City employees tried to unblock the stormwater drainage.
One of the teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, stated that they opted to halt operations and turned kids away as no one could access the school. “We turned back our learners. And we are standing here waiting for the City’s employees to finish what they are doing for us to be able to go inside. There is nothing that we can do,” she said, adding that they don’t know when the rain is going to stop.
Resident Nomawethu Mantu, from Y section just outside the school, said it is hectic for them. “Our shacks are damp. There is water everywhere. It’s difficult even to go outside because the water is covering the road,” said Mantu.
She said she was concerned about her furniture as it was going to be damaged.
When City Vision arrived at the school City employees were busy trying to unblock the drain.
The City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Charlotte Powell said several informal settlements in Delft, Khayelitsha, Nomzamo, Crossroads, Philippi, Gugulethu and Nyanga were affected. She said the Road Infrastructure Management Department is providing milling and sand to raise the floor level where possible.
“Weather related power outages are experienced across the city and are being attended to by the Electricity Department. Many roadways are still blocked. At this stage there are no life threatening situations, only damage to property,” said Powell.