Examining the feasiblity of informal settlement flood early warning systems : focus on the urban flood-risk experience of Kosovo and Masiphumelele residents, Cape Town South Africa

• Main Author: Solomon, F J
• Other Authors: Holloway, Ailsa
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Subjects: Environmental and Geographical Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10717

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-117). === This thesis examines the feasibility of applying people-centred approaches to flood early warning systems (EWS) in informal settlements in the City of Cape Town, particularly, through the experiences of poor and disadvantaged communities in Kosovo and Masiphumelele informal settlements. The impact of recurrent floods during the winter rainfall months and their costs are disproportionally borne both by those at risk and the local government that is required to repeatedly respond to them. A social science perspective is adopted, with the application of a risk communication framework. The urban flood-risk context of both study sites and the risk governance approach to managing and communicating flood risk were investigated and factors influencing flood warning processes and behavioural factors influencing response to flood-risk and flood warning, examined.