South Africa: President of African National Congress (ANC) – Cyril Ramaphosa announced the visit to Eastern Cape to look upon the present condition of the region due to the floods.
The ANC president stated while addressing that they are visiting the Eastern Cape following the flood disaster. He said, “We thank the various response teams for intervening quickly and comprehensively in light of the damage.”
Reportedly, the climatic changes are affecting the weather conditions and causing disasters that are leading to fatalities, displacement and infrastructure damage.
Ramaphosa further stated that they are visiting to ensure that they must build the capacity needed to manage disasters effectively in the long run.
He added that the government must always be there to support and defend the people during such catastrophes.
As per the sources, the South African Government is fast-tracking the relief efforts in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. Followed by the devastating floods that destroyed homes, displaced families and let to the loss of lives.
Furthermore, a Ministerial delegation representative of all the spheres of government conducted an oversight visit to flood-stricken areas in Gqeberha on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 with an objective to bolster government’s urgent responses.
This also follows the torrential rains that causes massive damage to infrastructure and displaced more than 1000 households and saved the lives of at least ten people.
Following this, a technical meeting between the three spheres of government was held, where they received feedback from the Disaster Response Teams on the work being done to provide humanitarian relief to the ones who were affected and the implementation status of further interventions.
The Minister of COGTA – Thembi Nkadimeng, Human Settlements Minister – Mmamoloko Kubayi, Transport Minister – Sindisiwe Chikunga, Eastern Cape Premier – Oscar Mabuyane and Deputy Ministers, MECs, MMCs, Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, together visited to Qunu, Izinyoka, Nomakanjani, Bongweni informal settlements and Kariega.
Considerably, the Human Settlements Minister – Mmamoloko Kubayi declared the urgent relocation of families who are currently housed at mass care centres to temporary emergency accommodation inclusive of safer places for mothers and small children as an immediate action and temporary residential units, including it as a medium to long-term intervention (TRUs).
Kubayi echoed government calls for the public to remain vigilant during heavy rains or flooding and urged all road users to be cautious on the roads.
Besides this, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) was instructed by the Minister Nkadimeng to work closely with the Joint District Operations Centre, the Eastern Cape provincial government and also with the affected municipalities to further provide the assistance and support to them who are affected by the floods.
Premier Mabuyane assured the residents that the government was putting together the resources to improve the dire situation that they were facing.
He said that currently, the government is conducting assessment of damages and requests communities to remain united, vigilant and monitor the weather updates as further rainfall is anticipated.
Mabuyane then further called on the private sector to partner with the government and lend a hand to the victims of the disastrous floods around the province.
