Overview
- City of Cape Town, which updated figures Wednesday, said more than 21,500 informal‑settlement households were impacted, affecting about 83,000 people.
- The National Disaster Management Centre declared a national disaster after storms hit six provinces, driven by two close‑spaced cold fronts linked to a cut‑off low.
- Officials reported nine deaths in the Western Cape and 10 nationally, with most linked to falling trees and a drowning reported near Klaarstroom.
- Most schools reopened Wednesday as mop‑up and relief continued, though key routes such as parts of the N1 and several mountain passes stayed closed and 43 areas in Cape Town still lacked power.
- Rescuers recovered three farmworkers near Worcester on Tuesday after rooftop evacuations, and NGOs including Gift of the Givers are delivering meals, blankets and support in hard‑hit communities.