Rising Waters

The report examines flooding in Cape Town's informal settlements, specifically in the Philippi area, highlighting how social dynamics, political conflict, and poor infrastructure exacerbate vulnerability. It argues for a shift from top-down, technocratic 'government' to a 'collaborative governance' approach that integrates community leadership and various city departments. Additionally, it addresses the long-term threat of sea level rise and storm surges, advocating for 'set back lines' and buffer zones over hard engineering solutions.

• Informal settlements on the Cape Flats are highly vulnerable to flooding due to a naturally high water table and the disruption of natural drainage by hard surfaces like roads and pavements.
• Between 2007 and 2009, between 32,000 and 34,400 people were displaced by winter flooding in Cape Town, with approximately 88,000 homes at risk.
• Flooding in these communities leads to severe health and social impacts, including the spread of TB, pneumonia, and skin rashes, as well as the disruption of children's education.
• Infrastructure projects, such as the 2008 installation of communal flush toilets in Kosovo, failed because of a lack of community consultation, leading to blockages and a return to the bucket system.
• Effective flood risk management is hindered by 'silo' responses within City departments and a top-down, technocratic approach to governance.
• Internal community conflict and political rivalry between parties like the ANC and DA can obstruct the effectiveness of local committees and hinder service delivery.
• The report recommends a 'collaborative governance' model that uses non-structural measures, such as planting shrubs, and early warning systems via SMS to reduce risk.
• Climate change is increasing the risk of coastal flooding through sea level rise and more intense storms, which the report describes as the 'super tanker' of climate change.
• The report argues against 'hard' engineering solutions like sea walls, suggesting instead the implementation of 'set back lines'—protective buffer zones where development is forbidden or strictly controlled.

APA

Joubert, L., & Martindale, L. (2013). Rising Waters. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fliccr-risingwaters-2013.pdf

Chicago

Joubert, Leonie, and Linda Martindale. Rising Waters. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fliccr-risingwaters-2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Joubert |first1=Leonie |last2=Martindale |first2=Linda |title=Rising Waters |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fliccr-risingwaters-2013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{joubert2013rising, author = {Joubert, Leonie and Martindale, Linda}, title = {{Rising Waters}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fliccr-risingwaters-2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }