CAPE TOWN - Violent storms have ravaged the Western Cape, leaving a trail of destruction.
Around 150,000 people have been caught in the chaos. Eleven lives have been lost.
The Cape Metropole, Winelands and Breede Valley took the full force of the storms.
Farmers in those areas are counting heavy losses as the agriculture sector reels.
Estimates put the damage in the billions of rand.
The Hex River Valley, South Africa’s largest table grape producer, is famed for its sprawling vineyards. Now, the valley is a tableau of devastation. After the storms, hundreds of millions of rand in damage remain.
Juben Von Willingh, Breede Valley Municipality deputy mayor said the devastation to the vineyards was tremendous.
Once thriving, Medoc table grape farm now lies in ruin, several hectares of vineyards shredded after just two to three days of relentless rain.
Michael Vorster, Medoc table grape farmer said the devastation of the storm is only really visible when you visit the sites and see.
"We have lost quite a couple of hectares in these storms but it is not only us, it is this whole area Rawsonville, Robertson, Worcester and Tulbagh. They have all been affected."
As the agriculture sector reels from the storm’s devastation, Voster warns that the damage to infrastructure is immense.
"I think the agricultural sector is really on its knees with the financial impact of rebuilding the structures. Its not only the riverbanks and the orchards that have been lost it is more the bridges and the access roads."
With more than a hundred farms affected in the area, Voster predicts the cost will run into billions of rand.
"I think what a lot of people don't realise, is yes, you can insure structures and houses and that type of stuff. In the agriculture, you can't insure your ground, you can't insure the river banks, you can't insure your vineyards, that's all going to have to be rebuilt with private funds."
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Van Loveren Family Vineyards in Robertson also took a heavy hit.
Severe floods swept through, leaving major damage in their wake. According to the company’s website, about 1.3 million bottles of wine were lost, along with extensive damage to vineyards, warehouses, and winery infrastructure.
But despite the scale of the disaster, recovery efforts are already underway.
The Western Cape Government is set to deliver an update on Monday afternoon on its response to the storms that battered much of the province.
Report by Ayesha Ismail