People were airlifted from rooftops, trees and flooded homes as rising waters cut off communities across parts of the province. Emergency crews carried out overnight rescues in severe weather. Military helicopters were deployed to rescue families after weeks of heavy rain, while tourists were evacuated from parts of the Kruger National Park.
While government is yet to declare a state of disaster and allocate disaster relief funding, critics have pointed out bureaucractic response to the crisis has been slow.
In April 2022, after devastating floods killed 448 people and displaced thousands in KwaZulu-Natal, President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged R1bn in emergency relief.
In June less than 10% of the promised amount appears to have reached flood-affected communities as survivors continued to live in community halls, tents and backyard shelters.
Eastern Cape residents who were displaced by last year’s floods which claimed 102 lives have a similar experience.
Provincial premier Phophi Ramathuba said the R4bn repairs estimate could rise because many areas are still inaccessible, making it hard to gauge the full extent of the destruction. About 600km of roadway had been damaged, affecting nearly 440 routes.
The government does not have a clear framework for dealing with disaster funds
— Wayne Duvenage, Outa
Vhembe and Mopani districts were particularly hard hit, with many residents cut off from clinics, schools and shops. Ramathuba said that since Christmas Day, 11 people had died as a result of the downpours.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday visited several parts of the province, including Vhembe and Mopani, and described the situation as “catastrophic”.
“In Vhembe we saw houses flooded and how people lost their possessions in the huge, huge rain that has been raging,” he said.
Police search and rescue teams, supported by the army, are searching for a missing five-year-old, Siyanda Baloyi, who was swept away on Thursday when he and his mother, Olgah Shivambu, fled their home in Mbaula village, near Giyani in Mopani district.
Shivambu climbed a tree, from which she was rescued by a military helicopter but Siyanda has not been found.
The education department suspended the reopening of 1,400 schools in Mopani and Vhembe districts. Ramathuba said the safety of pupils and teachers was the priority.
The provincial health department said some of its facilities had been cut off.
SANParks spokesperson JP Louw said access to Kruger had been restricted to essential delivery vehicles and people with confirmed flight bookings.
Staff and guests at the Kambaku 2 Boat Safaris & Lodge on the Olifants River fled when the river broke its banks. Owner Brenda du Plessis said: “We lost our entire 30 years, our business, house, everything. We are safe, but ... I plead with everyone to support our back-a-buddy campaign.”
Gift of the Givers is providing food and other essentials to displaced residents.
Wayne Duvenage, CEO of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, said the government generally failed to respond adequately to disasters. “There is not enough clarity on how relief funds are allocated, spent and managed.” The government does not have a clear framework for dealing with disaster funds.
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