The North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PMDC), working together with Municipal Disaster Centres, remains on high alert for incidents of disaster across the province.
This follows heavy rainfall that affected many parts of the province and damaged infrastructure and properties.
North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Oageng Molapisi, said the disaster management teams are on the ground conducting a needs and impact assessment.
The province experienced heavy rainfall in the past few days and largely affecting district municipalities, including Bojanala Platinum and Ngaka Modiri Molema.
Molapisi said formal and informal houses were damaged by the heavy rains, as well as municipal infrastructure such as culverts, roads and bridges.
“Kromkuil bridge in Moretele has collapsed and scores of houses in the Moretele, Rustenburg, JB Marks, Ditsobotla, Ratlou and Mahikeng Local Municipalities were flooded. Roofs of houses at Mokgola in Ramotshere Moiloa and Ledig in Moses Kotane were blown away.
“Mud houses in Moshwaneng in the Ratlou Local Municipality were affected and face the possibility of collapsing. Public amenities such as hospitals, clinics and schools were also not spared. Lehurutshe Hospital and Moses Kotane Hospital in Ledig and General Delarey in Lichtenburg are some of the hospitals which were affected,” Molapisi said.
The Bogosi Clinic and Primary School in Moretele were water-logged and mop-up operations are underway to bring all affected facilities back to full operation.
Upon receiving reports on disaster incidents, Molapisi directed coordination on the ground to assist affected residents and communities across the province.
“The provincial preparedness and response contingency plan have been developed and are being implemented. Various sector departments and municipalities have been briefed and activated in line with their roles and responsibilities, and they use their own resources to respond to emergencies/disasters incidents.
“The National Department of Human Settlement provided Temporary Residential Units (TRU’s) for damaged houses in the province. The affected departments will reprioritise their budget to address the pressure created by the flood disaster incidents” Molapisi explained.
The MEC added that the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has profiled affected families and Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants were provided.
The Al-IMAAD and Gift of the Givers organisations have provided humanitarian relief in some affected areas, including Ditsobotla.
The humanitarian relief includes hygiene packs, blankets, food parcels and mattresses. The Red Cross donated 100 blankets to the Bojanala District Disaster Management Centre.
Molapisi said the blocked drainage system caused flooding in most of the areas in the province.
The MEC has since directed sector departments and municipalities to budget for proactive disaster management activities to avert some of the disaster incidents.
“As part of the long-term intervention, municipalities must on an on-going basis maintain road infrastructures and storm water drainage systems to reduce flooding. The Department of Public Works and Roads, in collaboration with municipalities will repair damaged roads, bridges and culverts, and the Department of Human Settlements will repair all affected RDP houses.
“Municipalities must incorporate disaster risk reduction into development planning, and they must also develop bylaws and their enforcement strategy thereof,” Molapisi said.
The MEC reassured that the department and PDMC will continue to coordinate sectors to ensure safer and disaster-resilient communities in the province.
“The department is also working with South African Weather Service (SAWS) for issuance of severe weather early warnings to role-players and communities. SAWS predicts that the province will still experience above-normal rainfall throughout the autumn season,” Molapisi said. – SAnews.gov.za
