CAPE TOWN, South Africa - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit the devastated areas affected by recent floods on Friday. The floods have resulted in at least 78 fatalities in the southeastern region of the country, prompting ongoing search and rescue operations that have entered their fourth day, with officials warning that the death toll may continue to increase.
Ramaphosa will head to Mthatha, a town in the Eastern Cape province, where the floods struck hardest beginning in the early hours of Tuesday. His visit comes amid mounting criticism regarding the authorities' initial response to the disaster, which was triggered by an extreme weather front bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and even snowfall to various parts of the province. The severe weather conditions had been forecasted in advance.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane expressed that the emergency rescue efforts faced significant delays in the critical first few hours following the floods, largely due to a shortage of resources. The province, which has a population of 7.2 million, only has one official rescue helicopter, which had to be sourced from over 500 kilometers (310 miles) away. This lack of preparedness hampered the effectiveness of immediate rescue operations in one of South Africa’s poorer regions.
The floods occurred unexpectedly in the predawn hours, catching many residents by surprise. Numerous victims were swept away along with parts of their homes and other debris as floodwaters surged. Authorities have indicated that more bodies are likely to be recovered as rescue teams continue to search through the floodwaters and the wreckage of damaged structures for those still unaccounted for. Tragically, many of the deceased are children.
One resident of Mthatha, Zinathi Vuso, shared a harrowing account of the disaster: “I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron. Others tried to hold or climb onto something, but it would break, and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found.”
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who is leading a national government team deployed to assist the province, stated on the national broadcaster SABC late Thursday that authorities are urging residents to report missing individuals to aid rescuers in determining how many people are still being searched for. Hlabisa described the situation as “a crisis,” emphasizing, “the more water subsides, the more people will be found.”
As the efforts continue, both local and national authorities face scrutiny regarding their preparation and response to such natural disasters, raising concerns about the adequacy of resources and coordination in times of crisis.
