Cape Town: Summer is here and so is the threat of heat waves has arrived along with it. The city is experiencing the different weather from the world and is receiving the excessive heat waves. To curb this the City of Cape Town has launched a ‘Beat the Heat’ programme.
Reportedly, the heat wave is three days of excessively hot weather consisting of high humidity and a very little wind movement. During this time, the officials from City of Cape Town asked the residents to take care of the ones who are mostly at risk such as the children under age of five, elders, pregnant women and other vulnerable residents in informality.
This week, the City of Cape Town has launched a new heat-health awareness campaign in Joe Slovo and it will be reaching out to some of its vulnerable groups that begins with elder residents, across the metro.
Considering many areas in Cape Town which are often experiencing the temperatures which are hotter than 35°C and extreme heat events expected to increase in frequency as the climate changes and being the heat smart will become increasingly important.
The first phase of the Beat the Heat programme is being implemented in vulnerable communities that are located in the regions which are often experiencing summer temperatures hotter than Atlantis, Mamre, Dunoon, Joe Slovo and Sir Lowry’s Pass Village.
According to temperature data received from the South African Weather Service, the Cape Town has experienced five heatwaves during January 2024 that ranged in temperatures of between 32°C to 44°C.
Other experienced areas of temperatures which are above 40°C during the past summer includes Atlantis (42°C), Dunoon (40°C), Kirstenbosch (40°C), Royal Yacht Club (44°C that represents the broader harbour/Cape Town CBD area) and Observatory area (42°C).
As per the sources, the campaign has been a part of the Heat Action Plan of the City of Cape Town and it is being implemented by a number of departments including the Risk and Resilience, Environmental Management, Disaster Risk Management and City Health Department.
City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor – Alderman Eddie Andrews said that it is the range of response to extreme heat days that as a city they must tackle to ensure that those who are more vulnerable and are supported as needed.
As per Andrews, the local government must take the lead, As part of the first focused phase, they are looking at the elderly residents who are typically disproportionally affected by extreme weather events such as high heat days due to their age, that reduced the ability of the body to cool itself, frailty and mobility challenges, often living alone and having limited access to information and awareness of their own vulnerability.
“The risk and exposure to adverse health effects could intensify and increase the risk of death due to extreme heat,” said Eddie Andrews.
Member of the Future Planning and Resilience Portfolio Committee at the Beat the Heat event launch in Joe Slovo – Councillor Ursula Barends said that the outreach and awareness programme combines education on heat-health management as well as energy efficient practices to reduce heat generated in the home and enhanced environmental health.
Moreover, it includes planting the trees at the City of Cape Town facility where each programme event is being hosted. Barends added that they look forward to the roll out of the programme in all of the most vulnerable communities.