Cape Town, 28 March 2023 (TDI): President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the Eastern Cape Province to assess the aftermath of the flood that has affected the public infrastructure and has claimed lives.
Over the past week, the O.R. Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province has been affected by heavy rain, which has caused flooding resulting in the loss of 4 people, and hundreds are displaced so far.
Severe weather for which the South African Weather Service had issued early warnings on 22 and 23 March affected communities in Port St Johns, Ingquza Hill, Nyandeni, and King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipalities.
The floods have also disrupted critical infrastructure and services to water and electricity supply services, teaching and learning, as well as roads and bridges that collapsed.
Presidency Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenyana added that the government had activated a working Special Intergovernmental Committee on Disaster Management to provide support and relief to the affected communities.
“Teams comprising national, provincial, and local spheres of government have been assessing the damage, and providing emergency support in the form of shelter, food, blankets, and other essentials,” Magwenya said.
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During the visit to the floods affected area, President Cyril Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thembi Nkadimeng and Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane.
He will interact with residents and other stakeholders, and assess current response and recovery efforts, and further actions or resources needed to help communities ravaged.
“On arrival, the President will visit the Port St Johns Youth Centre, which is housing residents who have lost homes in the floods,”
“The President and his delegation will then proceed to damaged roads in the Mthumbane area, close to Port St Johns’ Second Beach,” Spokesperson Magwenya said in a statement.
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