EC on high alert amid fears of further downpours

Officials in the Eastern Cape are on high alert as persistent cloudy weather threatens to bring more rains to flood-affected areas.

The death toll from this weekend’s flash floods has now risen to 14, eight of which were from the Buffalo City Municipal District.

Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said this weekend’s survivors and households who weren’t affected by the floods have approached them for alternative housing.

“East London even yesterday [Monday] it rained a bit even today [Tuesday] the forecast has been cloudy all week, it’s not looking good. So we are expecting rain, we have identified families that are on the flood line, and we are trying to speed up the process to see if we can not move them”.

Some 300 people have been displaced, with several others hospitalized.

Nqwenya said the trauma from those deadly floods has left emergency services and communities on edge.

“We are on high alert unlike Saturday when we were caught of guard. When a few drops of water starts raining our team starts being activated. We have established a joint operation centre with all the stakeholders to do quicker evacuation if needs be”.

-EWN

In other news – Meet the person behind R1.3 million nightclub bill; Passion Java, a Zimbabwean ‘prophet’

If you’ve so much as logged on to a social media site this weekend, then you probably saw the wild antics of partygoers at the 012 Lifestyle venue in Pretoria. A whopping R1.3 million bar bill was racked up – and Passion Java was the man picking up the tab.

Allegedly, Java – who has become a multi-millionaire through his work as an eccentric pastor – was not in attendance on Saturday, but he had no problems with paying the seven-figure sum. Learn More