The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has intensified efforts to coordinate disaster relief and recovery measures following the devastating floods that have impacted the province, particularly in the OR Tambo and Amathole Districts.
In a statement on Friday, the provincial government said a multidisciplinary team led by the Office of the Premier, supported by the Departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements, Health, Home Affairs, SASSA, and affected local municipalities, has been deployed since the disaster began.
A Provincial Joint Operations Centre (JOC) has been activated to streamline disaster response as well as the Donations Management Team which coordinates humanitarian support, including food, sanitary items, and household necessities.
The provincial government said this team has been actively assessing the functionality, safety, and welfare of residents in temporary shelters across the province, while coordinating and distributing humanitarian aid.
The team is also making significant progress in the resettlement of displaced residents, which is expected to resume once all proper government processes have been followed.
“As of [Friday], the official death toll stands at 103, tragically including 32 school-going children. Out of the 103, there are 50 men and 53 females, 63 are adults and 40 are children.
“The OR Tambo District has the most fatalities with 79 victims, followed by Amathole District with 10, Alfred Nzo district 5, Chris Hani 5, Joe Gqabi 2, and Sarah Baartman District with 2.
“Of the 103 deceased, 98 bodies have been identified and collected, while 5 bodies remain unidentified. The Department of Home Affairs has registered 92 deaths out of the 103,” a statement issued by the provincial government said.
Floodwaters have ravaged over 6 800 households, leaving 4 724 without homes and partially damaging another 2 145 dwellings.
Search and recovery efforts are still underway, while emergency response and relief teams continue their critical work.
The Provincial Government thanked all the stakeholders involved and assured affected communities that comprehensive support services will remain in place until full recovery and stability are achieved.
“The South African National Defence Force and Mercedes-Benz have all joined the collective effort to support flood victims in the OR Tambo and Amathole districts. These key stakeholders have delivered substantial donations of food, clothing, and other essential supplies, reinforced the broader relief operation and demonstrated a strong spirit of solidarity across public and private sectors. Donations have also been received from entities such as Shoprite, Meals on Wheels, AbaThembu Kingdom, and numerous community contributors,” the provincial government said.
COGTA MEC Zolile Williams this week conducted an oversight visit to assess the conditions at all eight of the Community Care Centres (CCCs) accommodating displaced residents in and around OR Tambo District Municipality.
Mayor of OR Tambo District Municipality, Mesuli Ngqondwana, and the Mayor of King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, Nyaniso Nelani were also there.
Community members shared their appreciation for the support received but also raised concerns about an urgent need for a more durable and dignified housing solutions.
Responding to these concerns, MEC Williams reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring dignity and stability for all affected families. He emphasised that municipalities have identified land for the erection of temporary structures as part of broader resettlement plans.
“Suitable land has been identified in both KSD and Mnquma municipalities for the construction of 1 230 Temporary Residential Units (TRUs), with R120 million reprioritised to begin implementation. A further R461 million is needed to meet the full TRU demand.
“The verification of damaged homes is underway in Mnquma and OR Tambo Districts, with Joe Gqabi District having completed the process.
“This critical step aims to determine which families require temporary or permanent housing, ensuring that those displaced or affected by structural damage receive appropriate support and stability as part of the ongoing recovery and resettlement strategy,” the provincial government said.
Additionally, the exercise will further determine households that must be permanently moved as they are situated in flood plans.
Furthermore, key progress milestones for the road to recovery so far includes:
- 62 burials have been completed; with 9 more planned for this weekend.
- 1442 individuals received psychosocial support.
- 760 families have been supported with SASSA food vouchers.
- 989 smart ID and 96 birth certificate applications have been processed.
Additionally, the provincial government said infrastructure repairs are in motion, with 235 schools, 69 health facilities, and 149 roads and 91 bridges damaged across various districts.
A total of R5.04 billion is the estimated cost to repair damaged infrastructure.
“The collaboration across government and with civil society has been instrumental in responding to this humanitarian crisis. We remain committed to ensuring that displaced families are cared for with dignity and that donations are managed transparently. The province thanks all donors,” the MEC said.
This article was originally published on SA Gov News.