The Northern Cape government will require at least R600 million for social relief and infrastructure repairs after heavy rains and flooding wreaked havoc in parts of the province.
Weeks of persistent rain and flooding have left nearly 500 homes ruined, 27 schools either inaccessible or damaged. Infrastructure was also damaged. Service delivery has also been affected in parts of the province.
Provincial Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC, Bentley Vass, says as a result – the entire province has been declared a state of disaster.
“Key areas that have been severely affected in the province are education, human settlements, and agriculture which impacts directly on the citizens in these areas. We requested the national government to give the province the necessary support. If the national government comes in, it will put us in a better space as a provincial government to respond more speedily to the issues and to the challenges facing the province. We are calling on the private sector to come on board and assist with the relief of the affected communities,” says Vass.
The MEC adds that the flooding has caused more than half a billion rand in damage to roads.
“The department of roads and public works is currently in a process of assessing the extent of damages to the roads in the province. In some instances, they are waiting for the water to subside for proper evaluation. Currently, the rough estimate cost for the flood damage to roads in the province amounts to R682-million,” Vaas explains.
All disaster management teams remain on high alert in the province, with more rain predicted in some parts.
In the video below, many families left stranded after severe flooding near Kuruman:
