Eastern Cape declared national disaster zone after devastating floods

The Citizen

a day ago

The Eastern Cape has officially been declared a national disaster zone following widespread destruction caused by recent severe weather events.
Eastern Cape Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Zolile Williams said the declaration, made under the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002, comes after heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds and snowfall battered large parts of the country, with the Eastern Cape being the hardest hit.
The death toll from the devastating floods that struck the Eastern Cape earlier this month has risen to 101, the provincial government confirmed yesterday.
Read more: Flood tragedy in Eastern Cape: 38 children among 101 dead
Highlighting the provincial government's response to the June disaster, Williams said the Department of Social Development, in partnership with private sector organisations, has extended crucial psychosocial support to displaced families, bereaved communities and schools affected by the loss of learners.
'These services, which encompass counselling and emotional debriefing, are foundational to the healing and recovery process. Given the profound impact of the incident, we recognise this journey may be prolonged for those most deeply affected,' said Williams.
The Department of Health has deployed on-site healthcare services, providing medical assistance and replacing chronic medication swept away by the floods. Ongoing assessments are being conducted to evaluate health risks in temporary shelters.
Over 400 ID applications received
Williams said the Department of Home Affairs has been active in shelters across the Amathole and OR Tambo districts, assisting families with applications for essential documents, including IDs, birth and death certificates.
To date, 478 ID replacement applications have been submitted, with three mobile units deployed in each of the two districts.
Local schools have resumed classes, and provisions were made for learners who missed exams due to the disaster. Postponed examination papers were written on Monday.
'Through the Department of Education, we have begun to deliver learner and teacher support material lost or destroyed during the disaster. We are also ensuring that uniform sets for learners in the flood-affected schools are being delivered,' Williams said.
Restoration of basic services
Despite the devastation, significant progress has been made in restoring water and electricity in affected areas.
According to Williams, electricity supply has been restored to over 80% of affected customers, and over 95% of water supply has been restored in the OR Tambo and Amathole district municipalities, which were the hardest hit.
However, the floods caused extensive damage to roads, schools and healthcare facilities.
The cost of repairing damaged infrastructure is estimated at R5.1b, including about R3.2b required across sector departments and R1.8b for municipal infrastructure, as per Municipal Infrastructure Support Management assessments.
A total of 6 869 households were affected, with 4 724 people left homeless across the province — excluding the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality — while 2 145 homes were partially damaged.
'R461m is required for Temporary Residential Units (TRUs). However, the province has R120m, and we are looking to national government for intervention in this area,' said Williams.
Housing support and temporary shelters
The Department of Human Settlements, in partnership with the OR Tambo District Municipality, has activated mass-care shelters, including community halls and bed-and-breakfast facilities, for displaced families in OR Tambo and Mnquma. These arrangements will remain in place for at least 30 days.
'The provincial government is also securing land to facilitate the delivery of temporary residential units and permanent housing, ensuring our response addresses both urgent needs and long-term stability for these vulnerable communities.
'Currently, land has been identified in Mnquma for approximately 1 100 TRUs, while in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, land has been identified and we await a council resolution on the matter,' said Williams.
The floods also caused extensive damage to road infrastructure, with total repair costs estimated at R935m. The Department of Transport has reprioritised R102m from its budget, leaving a shortfall of R832m.
Emergency road clearance operations are underway, but 29 roads in Chris Hani and 22 in OR Tambo districts remain impassable. Major repairs began on Monday, and alternative routes are being used.
In terms of public facilities, 431 schools and 69 health centres were affected across the province. Repairs worth R600 000 have already been completed at healthcare facilities.
Agricultural sector impact
In the agricultural sector, interventions include damage assessments, provision of veterinary services and technical advice.
'In the main, farmers have lost 1 339 units of livestock, 1 803 hectares of crops have been destroyed, and they have suffered damage to machinery, irrigation material such as pipes and risers, water tanks and fencing materials,' said Williams. – SAnews.gov.za
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