Torrential rain and strong winds continued to batter Cape Town on Saturday, 28 June 2025, leaving behind widespread damage to homes, roads and vehicles.
Watch: Storm wreaks havoc in Cape Town
The South African Weather Service issued a yellow level 1 warning for disruptive rain, cautioning that low-lying areas could experience localised flooding.
In Ottery, a suburb south of the city centre, one resident’s car was crushed by a large tree that fell during the storm. A video of the incident, showing the extent of the damage, circulated widely on social media.
The footage captured the moment the tree collapsed, landing directly on the stationary vehicle, which appeared to be parked on the side of a residential street.
The City of Cape Town confirmed that the ongoing rain has overwhelmed parts of the stormwater system. Rob Quintas, the Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, explained the situation.
“The sheer volume of ongoing rainfall has caused vleis, rivers and canals to reach capacity. This causes water to back up in the stormwater system and onto our roads which then act as water conduits,” he said.
Quintas noted that flooding is especially common in areas near water bodies, below mountain slopes, and in low-lying suburbs.
“Roads may be closed at short notice in the interest of public safety and security,” he added.
By Saturday afternoon, several areas in Cape Town were still dealing with standing water, and some roads were temporarily impassable.
However, Quintas assured residents that water usually recedes quickly once the rain stops.
“Most residents would have noticed that flooding of roads usually subsides within less than an hour after the rain has stopped,” he said.
The City’s Transport Information Centre is reportedly dealing with a large volume of complaints, including reports of flooded roads and minor mudslides. Emergency services and road maintenance teams have been dispatched to assess the damage and clear any blockages where safe to do so.
According to the forecast for Sunday, 29 June 2025, lighter rain is expected in the morning with temperatures ranging from a minimum of 13°C to a maximum of 18°C.
Winds will shift to a southerly to south-easterly direction, blowing at a light to moderate speed.
