Riverlands Dam wall collapse: WC govt encourages class action on behalf of community

CAPE TOWN - Almost five months since devastating floods swept through the small farming community of Riverlands just outside Cape Town, normality has been restored.

On 8 August, four dam failures caused widespread flooding, damaging homes and municipality infrastructure.

More than 200 people were affected and took shelter at local community centres in the area.

Some have since gone back to rebuild what was left of their homes, while others are waiting to be moved to a temporary relocation area.

In the early hours of Thursday morning on 8 August, Riverlands residents woke up to sounds of gushing water after four dam walls collapsed at a nearby farm.

READ: Riverlands resident accuses govt of leaving them to fend for themselves in wake of dam collapse

Hundreds of people, including children, were forced to leave their homes as they had to contend with knee-high water levels.

A preliminary report released by Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina points a finger at the property owners - the Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development Department.

The report suggests that the department failed to ensure that the dams were properly registered when it it took over ownership of the property.

Western Cape Local Government and Environmental MEC Anton Bredell said Riverlands residents deserve compensation for their losses.

READ: Water department reveals four dams that collapsed in Riverlands were not approved

"I spoke to the municipal manager and the mayor and said to them, they must start a class action on behalf of the community. We need to get the community to a position where we put them back before the dams collapse. They've lost houses, they've lost their earthly belongings, and I think as a government we cannot stand back."

For almost three months, the flood damage also left Riverlands taps dry after the water supply infrastructure was damaged.

However, water supply has since been restored.