A catastrophic breach of the Riverlands dam has led to severe flooding in Riverlands and Dassenberg near Malmesbury. The dam failure has submerged numerous homes, prompting Gift of the Givers to provide critical humanitarian aid to the displaced residents.
Gift of the Givers, a prominent South African humanitarian organization founded in 1999, specializes in rapid emergency response. The organization works on-site to offer disaster relief, medical care, and food support. According to the organization, thousands of people have been displaced following the collapse of the Riverlands retention dam walls in Chartsworth, Western Cape, during the early hours of August 8.
Ali Sablay, spokesperson for Gift of the Givers, reported that two individuals remain missing. “Early this morning on August 8, residents of Dassenberg alerted us to the collapse of the Riverlands dam wall, resulting in extensive damage and displacement. We were subsequently contacted by the Swartland District Municipality and local disaster management teams for immediate assistance,” Sablay explained.
Despite initial fears, the Swartland Municipality has confirmed that no injuries or additional missing persons have been reported.
