Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Obed Bapela, says services of the State of National Disaster are to be extended to the North West soon.
He has just visited the flood-ravaged Deelpan village near Mahikeng. According to Bapela, North West Premier Bushy Maape will officially write a letter to the national department about the matter.
“The national technical team will be coming in the North West also to join the provincial and the municipalities to further assess the damage and the situation but also it becomes easier for the province to call for help, and also to call for help from the national defence force… The premier will be dispatching a letter to indicate that these are the areas that are affected. The support and the help that the communities deserve then will be expanded to the North West in the affected areas.”
State of Disaster declared amid floods
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster citing the severity of the flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
In his address to the nation, Ramaphosa said: “This is to ensure an effective response across all spheres of government to the extreme weather events that have occurred in several parts of the country. The primary responsibility to coordinate and manage the disaster is assigned to the national sphere of government, working closely together with provincial governments and municipalities. It enables the mobilisation of more resources, capabilities and technical expertise in providing relief, recovery and rehabilitation to affected communities.”
In the video below, a report on the declaration:
