Remain on high alert and stay safe, says Cogta
The heavy weekend rainfall has caused havoc in some parts of the province, with the Lowveld escarpment the hardest hit. The rain left roads and bridges washed away, houses, streets, rivers and streams flooded and trees uprooted.
Major roads such as the N4 in Schoemanskloof and R37 to Lydenburg had to be closed after trees and rocks fell into it, blocking traffic from both directions until midday on Monday.
In areas such as Tekwane South, Jerusalem, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, houses collapsed and left a number of people out in the cold. The wet weather is expected to continue throughout the entire week, predicted the South African Weather Services.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs released a statement recently in which it said, “Although the province has survived the tropical cyclone that had hit neighbouring Mozambique, it remains on high alert.
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“The department will continue to monitor weather patterns to respond to potential life-threatening emergency cases. “All our disaster management systems remain on high alert. Our roads are slippery and we urge motorists to drive carefully. Those in the proximity of rivers and dams must monitor the water levels to evacuate in time,” said the department’s MEC, Mandla Msibi.
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Msibi further cautioned communities not to risk their lives by crossing bridges and walking under power lines. He further warned against the circulation of fake news that may cause panic and anxiety. Apart from the contingency plans, councillors, community development workers and the disaster toll-free number have been activated to respond to distressed communities.
“Although no major incidents have been reported since the heavy rain started, sporadic cases of damaged houses have been reported at Mkhuhlu in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality,” said Msibi.
