South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has postponed a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to focus on government’s intervention in the KwaZulu-Natal flood disaster that occurred recently.
The President was due to travel on Tuesday, 19 April, to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while the postponement is for him to meet meet with Ministers on the situation in the flood-ravaged province.
And to assess how the different spheres of Government, in partnership with Civil Society Organizations and communities, are addressing the crisis.
Ramaphosa said: “The loss of nearly 400 lives and thousands of homes, as well as the economic impact and the destruction of infrastructure, calls for all hands on deck. “As government, we are standing by the people of KwaZulu-Natal through the provision of social and material support to thousands of households and a vast number of businesses that have been affected by this catastrophe.
“We appreciate the solidarity and generosity with which people and organisations across the country have come to the assistance of those whose lives have been so tragically disrupted by the floods. “We have also been touched by the expressions of concern and solidarity, and offers of assistance expressed by many countries around the world", the President added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal says scores of people have been killed by the floods since the heavy rainfall started.
The heavy rains caused numerous road closures as well as flooding in low-lying areas. The cost of repairing buildings and houses is estimated to be in the millions of rands.
Schooling and learning were also impacted because students were advised not to attend classes.
While the mayor of eThekwini, Mxolisi Kaunda, has urged residents to stay at home and avoid leaving their homes as roads remain impassable.
With several reports of cars being washed away in floodwaters around KwaZulu-Natal, emergency workers fear the death toll could be much higher.
Also, report gathered revealed that atleast 443 people have died in floods that devastated South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, as rescuers searched for dozens who are still missing in the southeastern coastal region.
Sihle Zikalala, the province’s premier, said on Sunday that the dead included two emergency workers and added that a further 63 people remain unaccounted for.
The floodwaters are the strongest to have struck KwaZulu-Natal in recent memory and were triggered by torrential rains that lashed the province last week.
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