KNYSNA NEWS - About 335 sandbags and more than 1 090 metres of gunplast have been distributed to residents across Hornlee and surrounding areas as part of a co-ordinated disaster response effort following the severe weather conditions that have affected the region since Wednesday, 6 May.
On Tuesday, 12 May, Knysna Municipality issued a public notice urging residents requiring sandbags or gunplast to contact emergency services on 044 302 8911 or via WhatsApp on 060 998 6969. Residents in Sedgefield were advised to contact 044 343 2900 or WhatsApp 060 998 7019 for assistance.
Residents were further informed that sandbags and gunplast may also be collected directly from the Knysna and Sedgefield fire stations. The municipality appealed to the public for patience as emergency teams remain deployed across all wards.
The community rallied together alongside the political formation Choose Knysna (CCX Disaster Response Team) and Knysna First to provide urgent relief to households whose homes were damaged by storms and flooding. With many residents left vulnerable due to strong winds, heavy rainfall and structural damage, organised teams and volunteers worked side by side to meet the immediate needs on the ground.
Emergency response activation
The severe weather conditions that began on 6 May triggered an immediate community and disaster response across the affected areas. The CCX Disaster Response Team assisted with urgent relief operations in Ward 11 after strong winds damaged several structures, including blowing the roof off a house.
Volunteers supported emergency interventions by sourcing and distributing essential building materials, including roof sheets, a door, roof trusses, screws, nut setters and sidewall materials for immediate repairs.
Additional volunteers and Ward 8 support teams also provided soup and bread rolls at the community hall where displaced residents were accommodated following the storm damage.
Community co-ordinators further arranged for the opening of the Smutsville Community Hall, which served as a temporary shelter for affected residents. Dinner was provided through community support structures to ensure displaced families received warm meals during the crisis period.
Ongoing relief and clean-up operations
On Thursday, 7 May, CCX teams and volunteers assisted in clearing a fallen tree that had damaged a shack in Ward 8.
Humanitarian support continued with the distribution of soup, bread and warm blankets sponsored through CCX members and volunteers. Supplies were delivered to vulnerable households across Karatara, Rheenendal, Hornlee, Ward 8 and Ward 7.
As the severe weather conditions persisted, emergency relief operations expanded to include the replenishment and distribution of sandbags and protective materials to flood-prone households. In response to the widespread impact experienced across Greater Knysna, acting municipal manager Manqoba Ngubo and staff members from various municipal departments joined the relief efforts on the ground.
MMC for Infrastructure Services Russel Arends also assisted alongside officials at the fire station and Brown Stores, helping with the filling and co-ordination of sandbag and gunplast distribution, responding to community calls and providing operational support.
Ngubo said the collective effort demonstrated the municipality's commitment to supporting residents during difficult circumstances.
"This collective effort reflects the municipality's commitment to standing alongside residents during challenging times and ensuring that assistance reaches those most in need as swiftly and efficiently as possible," he said.
He also thanked municipal staff members who assisted beyond their normal duties, describing their response as an example of teamwork, compassion and dedication in the spirit of public service.
Community mobilisation and support
On Monday, 11 May, residents of Horn-lee undertook a co-ordinated clean-up operation behind Donkerhoek, where sand washed away from a nearby bank was collected and repurposed for sandbags.
Choose Knysna, through the CCX Disaster Response Team, and Knysna First played a key role in mobilising volunteers, gathering sand and filling sandbags for distribution to affected households.
The intervention strengthened ongoing grassroots relief efforts, particularly in areas where delays in formal assistance were reported. The recovered sand was used to replenish emergency supplies as relief operations continued across affected communities.
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