Heavy downpours in Cape Town this week did not spare Mawande Sigwinta and his township garden, i-Afrikayam Farm in Strand. Sigwinta is one of the many residents in the Mother City whose properties were flooded after a cold front made landfall and brought heavy rainfall and strong winds.
“I would say that 90% of my crops are damaged because it’s extremely flooded at the garden,” he tells Food For Mzansi.
i-Afrikayam Farm, barely the size of two tennis courts, sprouts a range of vegetables from green peppers and cabbages to red onions and lettuce. Sigwinta has been growing vegetables on this patch of land since 2019.
He explains that it is not the first time that his garden has been drenched with rainwater. However, this has so far been the worst.
“Usually, every year, about 10% of the garden gets flooded. The way it is now was not expected. Also, the soil is a bit clayish, so it did not absorb all the water. I really did not anticipate this.”
Sigwinta suspects the primary school next door, whose gutter system leads water into his garden, contributed to the flooding.
He believes that, unless the next few days offer warmer weather, it is going to be difficult for him to save his crops. “Even if I do, the quality won’t be the same anymore.”
Impacting both business and charity
The garden supplies fresh veggies to the local community and supplements its garden kitchen. The vegetable garden is also a hangout spot for locals, who serve food and drinks here. Visitors often showcase their artistry through song, poetry and drama.
“There’s another community gardener in my area, close to the taxi rank. We agreed that I would supply him with lettuce, spinach and beetroot for the next two months. I don’t think that’s going to be possible anymore because, as you have seen, even the beetroot is under water.”
Sigwinta says the unexpected flooding will definitely impact business in the next couple of months. “I will only be able to determine that once the water subsides. For now, we will be buying veggies.”
Meanwhile, Cape Town Traffic Services says it is receiving continued reports of road obstructions caused by localised flooding, including on private properties. Heavy rains overnight have also resulted in flooding and power outages across Cape Town. Informal settlements are reported to be the worst
Rain is expected to continue intermittently into the weekend.
ALSO READ: KZN floods: Can sugarcane farmers get back up?
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