Floods may have caused R160bn-worth of damage

Preliminary indications are that the recent floods across seven provinces could have caused as much as R160-billion worth of infrastructure damage, Department of Social Development staff said on Sunday.

At an early morning press briefing led by Social Development Minister Bathibile Dlamini, her staff said that some 20 000 people, or about 5 000 families, have been affected in provinces that have seen heavy summer rains.

Furthermore, the flooding has caused more than 100 deaths, with 88 in KwaZulu-Natal. However, the final death tally has not been confirmed yet.

Department of Social Development staff say that government is also looking to make up a shortfall of around R20-million to respond to humanitarian assistance after some R143-million had been spent on humanitarian assistance and that some of the provinces were beginning to run out of money.

The rains have been the heaviest in more than 20 years especially in the North West, Gauteng and parts of the KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Twenty-eight municipalities have been declared disaster areas.

Final numbers would be foolhardy to determine just yet as we only have preliminary report and information is still coming in, said social development deputy director general Selwyn Jehoma.

A number of government departments have been issuing reports on flood damage and the responses to it.

‘Concrete humanitarian response’
On Friday the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, under which the National Disaster Management Centre falls, said that deaths had totalled 70 and that 8 400 people had been affected.

At the same time the Department of Agriculture had warned farmers living along the Vaal and Orange Rivers to move livestock to higher ground. The Vaal Dam, one of the country’s largest, is currently at 105% capacity and its sluice gates have been opened.

Dlamini and senior staff of her department met on Saturday with a task team consisting of private companies such as Tiger Brands, church organisations such as the South African Council of Churches and charities such as Gift of the Givers to develop a concerted social response.

“Properly construed, the situation calls for a concrete humanitarian response,” Dlamini said.

“Without sounding alarmist, I would like to highlight the fact we are in a race against time to respond to the humanitarian needs of those affected.”

Dlamini’s department is the lead agency for the provision of support services to improve the human condition.

The Department of Social Development has not yet set up a specific fund to deal with the humanitarian assistance required, but may do so in the coming weeks, its staff said.

More money needed
Meanwhile, Bathabile admitted on Sunday that millions of rands was still needed for flood relief as provinces were running “dry”.

More than R20-million had been used so far and based on figures contained in a preliminary report another R20-million was needed, she told media in Pretoria.

At least 5 000 families affected by floods were still in need of assistance, she said.

“More and more provinces are sending in their requests.”

The social distress budget amounted to R143-million and there was an indication that some provinces were running out of money, she said.

Although some media claimed the flood damage exceeded R120-billion, the department said credible figures would be known once the water subsided.

In terms of relief, she said the department wanted to focus more on the Northern Cape because it did not have the means to help victims.

Priorities
Northern Cape emergency personnel evacuated residents from their homes on Saturday due to rising water levels.

One person died and nine others were rescued in the Postmasburg area.

Dlamini said a report on the fatalities, injuries, household and infrastructural damage would be made available to each province.

The health department was on high alert in the event of a disease outbreak like cholera.

She said her department’s immediate priority was to make services available to those affected by floods but warned that government could not do it alone.

The department had already provided social relief to hundreds of people and the public was encouraged to lend a helping hand in cash or kind.

“Believing that even a single loss of life is enough to cause indignation, I would like to assure all South Africans that our government will continue to do all in its power to mitigate the risk of any further loss of life.” — I-Net Bridge, Sapa