CAPE TOWN - A rise in population in major cities is contributing to increasing pressure on infrastructure.
According to researcher Professor Timothy Dube from the University of the Western Cape’s Institute for Water Studies, growing demand for land is pushing people to build on low-lying floodplains.
These areas are natural water catchment zones that act as reservoirs, designed to accommodate excess rainfall.
READ: Western Cape storms leave five dead, thousands affected
"You find that people building there are disrupting the flows of water storage," says Dube.
"This contributes to them being more vulnerable than they anticipate," he adds.
Heavy floods have been battering parts of the Western Cape over the past few weeks. On Monday night, the N1 in Worcester had to be closed as conditions became increasingly dangerous.
Some towns were cut off following the closure of the Bainskloof, Du Toitskloof Pass, and the Huguenot Tunnel.
Homes and infrastructure were damaged as disaster management teams across the province remained on high alert. Thousands of people have been displaced after evacuations.
Western Cape Disaster Management head Colin Deiner confirmed on Tuesday that, according to the latest figures, more than 6,000 people have been affected by the severe weather conditions.
READ: Severe Western Cape weather disrupts flight operations
The majority of those affected were, according to the department, in informal settlements.
"Unfortunately, many stormwater ponds have been invaded," says City of Cape Town Water and Sanitation MMC Zahid Badroodien.
In many areas, stormwater systems have been filled with construction rubble.
"Structures have been on some of these areas that impact the ability of stormwater drains," he adds.
Disaster management teams have also noted that excessive dumping into stormwater systems has worsened flooding in several informal settlements.
According to Dube, spatial planning rules need to be enforced more strictly to prevent construction on floodplains and reduce disaster risk.
Schools in the province were closed on Tuesday but reopened on Wednesday.