Riverlands resident accuses govt of leaving them to fend for themselves in wake of dam collapse
On 8 August, people's homes and municipal infrastructure were damaged after four dam collapses caused widespread flooding in the town.
Residents of Riverlands, near Malmesbury, are pleading with government officials to help them rebuild their homes that were damaged by the recent heavy floods. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - The small community of Riverlands, outside Cape Town, is happy to have running water again after months of dry taps due to floods.
On 8 August, people's homes and municipal infrastructure were damaged after four dam collapses caused widespread flooding in the town.
Riverlands residents were without water until the beginning of November, following damage to the water network.
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More than 200 people in Riverlands left their homes when the floods hit.
Some moved in with friends and family, while some were accommodated at local community centres.
Residents did not only lose their homes and furniture in the floods but they also lost crops and livestock as well.
One of the small-scale farmers affected, Malcolm Beck, said he was disappointed that no one had come to assist them.
Beck, who helps look after his aunt's small farm, said that his aunt was taking the loss of her livestock very hard.
"It's not our fault, it's the government's fault. We never asked for that to happen to us. Life for me is very difficult, to see my aunt in the state that she's in, it's difficult. Also, for me personally, I did lose a lot of things. Christmas is coming up, I must try to rebuild what I've lost on my own because I'm not getting help from no one."
Beck said it looked like government has left them to fend for themselves.