• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
Home South Africa

Heavy rains in the Northern Cape leave a trail of disaster

13 February 2021, 7:01 PM  |
Reginald Witbooi Reginald Witbooi |  @SABCNews
Infrastructure and roads have been badly affected, however, communities were hit the hardest.

Infrastructure and roads have been badly affected, however, communities were hit the hardest.

Image: SABC News

Infrastructure and roads have been badly affected, however, communities were hit the hardest.

The recent heavy rains in the Northern Cape have left a trail of disaster. Infrastructure and roads have been badly affected. However, communities were hit the hardest.

Their houses were flooded and most areas inaccessible. The province has been declared a state of disaster.

One of the areas severely affected is Kuruman. For years the Northern Cape suffered through a drought. This time a trail of destruction with heavy rains.

Humanitarian aid has been given to seven inaccessible villages in the Kuruman area.

Stacks of food parcels have been loaded on a helicopter to distribute.

Sixty-year-old Lena Arries, who resides with her eight family members, says they can’t reach town.

“I don’t know how many days we didn’t reach the town. It was Saturday or Sunday, we took a risk with my brothers. We took all these families because in their house there is no food, kids are crying. We went from house to house asking for mealie meal or milk. Our cows, our goats they are not coming home because of the rain around the area.”

This is the worst floods since 1974 for the area.

Northern Cape requires about R600 million to repair damages caused by heavy rains:


Another resident, Adelaide Tjale, says, “Fortunately, when we came here we just saw the helicopter dropping down food, because when I got here I found that here are the people from the SABC. And here is the food, which means our community is going to have something.”

With little resources at its disposal, the local municipality drafted proposals.

Joe Morolong Municipal Mayor, Dineo Leutlwetse, says, “We are custodians of service delivery and local municipality. You would understand as a municipality, we rely mostly on the provincial government to assist us with resources, hence we made proposals to different departments. We have sent out three business plans, like the district mayor indicated, that outline the plans that we are having as a municipality.”

The Humanitarian Organisation, Gift of the Givers, made a call for social relief and more assistance is expected.

Gift of the Givers’ Ali Sablay says, “We are engaging further with the premier’s office and the local municipality here to see what other urgent assistance we can provide for the villages. As we speak, they have requested more food parcels our trucks are loading at the moment in Pietermaritzburg, and again we can try to activate urgent food aid to the residents as soon as possible.”

Over R600 million is needed to save the situation.

Officials are still assessing the extent of the damage, but say the major concern is the reopening of schools on Monday.

 

Share article
Tags: Northern CapeRainKuruman
Previous Post

Volcano Ladies Football Club in dire need of resources

Next Post

The price of beauty: in City of Love, some say roses harm the planet

Related Posts

A gavel and a block is pictured on the judge's bench in this illustration picture.

Pastor Zondo rape trial back in court on Monday

29 January 2023, 9:54 PM
Gavel seen in a courtroom

Several rapists sentenced in Northern Cape

29 January 2023, 8:38 PM
Matric

Khanyisa School for blind in Gqeberha continues to flourish academically

29 January 2023, 6:05 PM
Police handcuffs and yellow crime scene tape.

Alleged paedophile Gerhard Ackerman re-arrested

29 January 2023, 4:45 PM
File image: Police in Limpopo have opened an inquest docket following the suicide.

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Psychiatric patient in Limpopo found dead

29 January 2023, 2:11 PM
Minister of Police Bheki Cele

Cele reacts to arrest of police mom charged with rape of her child

29 January 2023, 9:48 AM
Next Post
Florists worried at the environmental damage from this trade say there are viable alternatives that can be grown locally and they are trying to encourage customers to try them.

The price of beauty: in City of Love, some say roses harm the planet

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Gas leak shut, isolated in Pretoria North
  • Scorcher predicted in Northern Cape for two weeks
  • Limpopo man arrested after discovery of his wife’s body in water-filled pit toilet
  • Residents shut down Komani over power woes
  • ANC slams DA’s march to Luthuli House
  • Parts of the Northern Cape to be exempted from rolling blackouts
  • VIDEO | St Benedict College’s Matric learner gets 11 distinctions
  • Limpopo matriculant from child-headed household attains diploma pass
  • Female circumcision practice thriving in Eastern Cape
  • Premier denies claims that KZN government spent millions on Mampintsha’s funeral
  • Cele reacts to arrest of police mom charged with rape of her child
  • Malema threatens nationwide shutdown over power crisis, demands Ramaphosa resign
  • Sanco KZN conference legitimacy challenged
  • GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Psychiatric patient in Limpopo found dead
  • Alleged paedophile Gerhard Ackerman re-arrested

LATEST

A gavel and a block is pictured on the judge's bench in this illustration picture.
  • South Africa

Pastor Zondo rape trial back in court on Monday


The high levels of loadshedding have sharply divided the country along party-political lines.
  • Politics

ANC aims to end rolling blackouts as EFF announces plans to bring country to a standstill


Gavel seen in a courtroom
  • South Africa

Several rapists sentenced in Northern Cape


A candle is used during load shedding in South Africa.
  • Business

Eskom ramps up rolling blackouts to Stage 4 until further notice


Fikile Mbalula
  • Politics

ANC aims to end rolling blackouts by end of the year


Chairperson of the African National Congress, Gwede Mantashe.
  • Politics

EFF seeks private prosecution of Mantashe regarding security upgrades at his properties


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2022

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2022

Previous Volcano Ladies Football Club in dire need of resources
Next The price of beauty: in City of Love, some say roses harm the planet