The Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) has partnered with Gift of the Givers to support communities across the Western Cape devastated by recent floods.
Torrential rainfall, severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and snowfall have lashed large parts of the province, causing widespread destruction and impacting areas from the Cape Metropole to Worcester, the Breede River Valley, Rawsonville, Ceres, Villiersdorp, and Elim.
Impact
About 150 000 people have been affected by the storms, which have also claimed about eleven lives.
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) classified the severe weather events affecting the Western Cape and several other provinces as a national disaster.
Western Province Cricket Association spokesperson Ayanda Frances Felem said Newlands Cricket Stadium will serve as an official collection point for in-kind donations from Monday, 18 May.
“Tens of thousands of people have been affected, with homes washed away, infrastructure damaged, crops destroyed, and many communities left without access to essential resources.
Trauma
WPCA CEO Corrie van Zyl said the province is traumatised by the recent storms.
“While Western Province Cricket Association and Newlands have also felt the effects of the recent storms, it has not been as traumatic as it has been for many communities across the Western Cape. Our hearts go out to those in smaller and rural areas who have suffered immense loss.
“I’ve personally witnessed the devastation, and it is deeply moving. We are proud to partner with Gift of the Givers, who continue to do an incredible job providing relief in times like this.
“Through this partnership, Newlands will become a drop-off point for much-needed supplies, as many people have lost their livelihoods and currently have no access to basic necessities such as water, food and blankets,” van Zyl said.
Support
Former South African cricket captain Graeme Smith, Proteas fast bowler and Stormers captain and current Springbok lock Salman Moerat, is encouraging South Africans to support the flood relief drop-off centre at Newlands Cricket Ground to assist the tens of thousands of flood victims affected across the Western Cape
For those wishing to assist financially, contributions can be made online via Gift of the Givers or BackaBuddy to help sustain ongoing large-scale relief operations.
The public is encouraged to donate essential items, all of which must be new, including mattresses, blankets, linen, towels and face cloths, clothing, non-perishable food items, bottled water, hygiene packs, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, roll-on deodorant and body lotion, toilet paper, sanitary pads and diapers.
