IN QUOTES | SA is not out of the woods with tropical storm Eloise, says Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday cautioned South Africans that the weather conditions following tropical storm Eloise are expected to hit the country again in the coming days.

She was providing an update on the government’s response to the storm which made landfall from Mozambique. 

The minister said the storm is not only responsible for fatalities but has also destroyed government infrastructure like buildings and bridges. She commended the emergency and rescue services for their swift responses and efforts to help affected communities.

Here are five important quotes from her address: 

Affected provinces 

“The three provinces that have been affected are Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern KwaZulu-Natal. In Limpopo it has been mainly in Vhembe and Mabopane. In Mpumalanga it is mainly in Ehlanzeni.” 

Infrastructure damaged 

“The severe floods have disrupted traffic because trees have fallen on roads. The emergency services have been responsive and made sure to remove the trees. Some bridges were destroyed by the storm, meaning our people in those areas are not able to cross.”

SA not out of the woods yet

“The storm has moved to southern Botswana, but we are informed  it will come back into SA. North West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal may be affected again. We are in the process of assessing damage across the districts where there has been flooding, so we can implement short-term measures.”

Be aware

“We must listen to the radio and watch TV to get the warnings so we know when the rains are going to come and we can try to be safe. We must take all safety measures in terms not moving through flood waters or crossing flooded bridges.”