Dept declares rains, flooding a national disaster

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has classified the recent damaging rainy weather in parts of the country as a national disaster.

It has been reported that the heavy summer rain has thus far claimed over 80 lives, caused damage to property, infrastructure and the environment due to flooding, sinkholes and landslides.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Lungi Mtshali said the decision to classify the weather pattern as a national disaster came after consultation with all provinces on the extent of the damages.

Mtshali said the classification was in line with the mandate of the Head of NDMC under section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002.

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In a statement released on Thursday, the department said the NDMC was working closely with provinces and all affected organs of state, and continues to receive reports on the extent of the damage caused.

“This classification is done to confirm that the situation is regarded as a disaster and is of a magnitude that exceeds the capacity of affected municipalities and provinces to deal with,” Mtshali says.

“It further assigns primary responsibility to the national sphere of government for the coordination and management of the disaster, and enables organs of state in all spheres to assist in dealing with the disaster and its consequences,” he said.

The public has been urged to observe weather warnings issued by the South African Weather Service, and to practice safety measures in the face of continuing rains and floods.

“A special plea is particularly made to those who are located in low lying areas to take precautionary measures including relocation away from those risky areas,” said Mtshali.

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