Mbombela - The Mpumalanga provincial government has started mop-up operations and repairing damaged infrastructure after heavy rains wreaked havoc in the Lowveld last week.
Several roads, bridges and hundreds of schools and houses were badly damaged during the rains as Mozambique's Cyclone Dando moved inland.
"Government worked throughout the weekend to assess the damage caused by the rains. We have a much clearer picture of what the damage is and what needs to be done," said spokesperson for the provincial department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, Mohlalefi Lebotha, on Monday.
Lebotha said six people were known to have died due to the floods.
"Two people died in Mashishing, one person in Nkomazi and three residents from Bushbuckridge due to the flooding."
One of the victims, Mesilinah Ndlovu, 65, from Mozambique, was killed while attempting to cross a flooded river at Clare village near Manyeleti on Thursday. Her body was found the next day trapped in shrubs along the Khokhovela River.
Ndlovu's neighbour, Thandy Sibuyi, 30, said they were returning home from catching bull frogs to eat when Ndlovu slipped into the river and disappeared.
"She lost her balance as she grabbed a shrub in the water, but the water pulled her away. Her walking stick disappeared with her. We reported the matter to the elders at home," explained a teary-eyed Sibuyi.
The community organised a search party and also called police and rescue services who recovered her body the next day.
The interdepartmental joint operation committee that was established to respond to the disaster reported that 1 452 households were affected in the five local municipalities within the Ehlanzeni district municipality. The municipalities include Bushbuckridge, Thaba Chweu, Mjindi, Nkomazi and Mbombela.
Lebotha said the department of human settlements would assess the damaged houses to determine how the Emergency Disaster Housing Fund could help.
"Bushbuckridge, together with Nkomazi, are the two worst-affected areas," said Lebotha.
Some low-lying bridges and roads were closed and a total of 118 schools were inaccessible. Some 111 schools were damaged as a result of heavy rains and floods.
"The department of education will be providing mobile classrooms to some of the affected schools while the cost of the damage and the type of intervention needed are still being determined," Lebotha said.
The department of public works, roads and transports and the affected municipalities have started clearing roads to the schools.
Altogether 112 sites have been identified where bridges and culverts need repairs.
Lebotha urged community members to continue to take care around rivers, streams and dams.
"These are still dangerous and people need to be cautious," said Lebotha.
He added that relief aid in the form of food parcels, blankets and tents have been delivered to affected households within the five municipalities. Water tankers are also supplying water to areas where supply has been interrupted.
Lebotha said the Mpumalanga government is expected to ask national government to declare the affected municipalities disaster areas.
"We expect this to be done before the end of the week and will ensure aid will go out quicker," he said.
He said the provincial cabinet would first have to adopt a declaration reclassifying the affected areas as disaster areas.
Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service has warned that more heavy rain is expected from Wednesday.
In the event of possible flooding communities can call the disaster toll free number 0800 202 507.
