The September floods in the Western Cape have been declared a national disaster by the National Disaster Management Centre.
A severe storm tore through the province over the Heritage Day long weekend, leaving at least eight people dead and a trail of disaster in its path.
Thousands of structures were damaged, as many communities, including farms, were left underwater.
In the Cape metro alone, more than 21,000 people were affected.
Western Cape local government spokesperson, Wouter Kriel, said that the declaration would make available much-needed disaster relief funds.
“The damage assessment that the province has calculated comes to R154 million for municipal damages, there’s another R441 million damages to provincial infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges, and water supply networks.”
Kriel said they’d fixed many roads and bridges that collapsed or washed away as a result of heavy rains and flash floods.
“We only have 22 roads that still need to be opened. That number has come down from more than 150 roads in the aftermath of the storm.”
-EWN
In other news – Actress Palesa Madisakwane dumps her ancestral calling, turns to Christianity
Well-known South African actress and media personality, Palesa Madisakwane has gained attention and sparked discussions after publicly renouncing ubungoma, a spiritual practice in South Africa. She shared a video on her social media platforms in which she tears and burns an ancestral fabric, symbolizing her turning away from the practice.
In an interview with a local publication, Palesa explained that she had always identified as a born-again Christian but sought help from ubungoma after facing challenges in her life, including losing her job at Generations, going through a divorce, and experiencing financial setbacks. Read More