Pretoria - The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) is expected to present its assessments findings on the eight provinces severely hit by heavy rains to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disasters.
This comes after the NDMC National Joint Operations Centre concluded its verification and assessments of natural disaster damage in all eight affected provinces.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson, Vuyelwa Qinga, said the findings give a broad picture of the nature of the damage, and the required immediate, medium and long term interventions.
Since the beginning of this month, the NDMC has led senior officials from national and provincial government on visits to areas that were recently affected by the natural disasters from mid-December 2010.
"The recently concluded assessments have confirmed that natural disasters have affected all eight provinces differently, with most damages having been broadly recorded on collapsed or partially damaged bridges and schools, disruption of water reticulation services, damaged roads, agricultural crops, livestock and infrastructure," Qinga said.
In the Northern Cape, preliminary assessments indicate that 923 cotton, vineyards, lucerne and maize farms were affected as a result of heavy rains and subsequent flooding.
Twenty uninsured houses were washed away in the Gariep Local Municipality and Siyanda District Municipality and four primary schools were cut off because of floods.
In the Free State, vegetables and field crops, fruit and vines in 325 farms were affected in Fezile Dabi, Thaba Mofutsanyana, Xhariep and Lejweputswa. Preliminary assessments indicate that 33 schools, 1 515 houses and 1421 shacks were damaged.
In KwaZulu-Natal, in the Umzinyathi, UMgungundlovu, Uthukela and Amajuba districts, 12 farms and 162 farmers were affected where maize, soybean and vegetables were damaged, and a total of 12 cattle lost.
It is estimated that 97 schools, 11 bridges, 6 238 houses and almost 2 497 kilometres of road was damaged.
In the Eastern Cape's OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Amathole districts, hail and floods resulted in damaged maize, beans and vegetables fields.
In Limpopo, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and Mopani districts, recent natural disasters damaged potatoes, maize, sweet potato, groundnuts, cotton, citrus and cabbages in 84 farms.
A total of 272 farmers and 187 farm workers have been affected; 104 schools are estimated to have been damaged, resulting in 19 000 learners being affected.
In the North West, the Ngaka Modiri Molema, Dr RS Mogomotsi and Kenneth Kaunda areas sustained damage to 74 sunflower, orchard and maize farms. The assessments indicate that 13 schools, 1 560 houses, 11 roads, 21 bridges were affected.
In Mpumalanga's Ehlanzeni, Nkangala and Gert Sibande districts, crops and livestock were affected. Twenty-eight farms recorded damage to soya beans, sunflower, maize crops, and loss of cattle, sheep and goats. A total of 42 schools are estimated to be affected.
In Gauteng, 1 847 houses have been damaged and 33 farms have experienced damages to irrigation systems, fences and poultry structures. Most of this infrastructure was either blown away by strong winds or washed away by water during the flooding period.
Government and its partners from the private and the non-governmental sectors continue to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to affected communities. Food parcels and alternative shelter has been provided to affected families since the beginning of the heavy rains in December. The Department of Social Development has led government in this regard.
Qinga said the report, to be presented to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disasters, will cover recommendations for medium and long term recovery, as well as rehabilitation measures to be undertaken by government and its partners.
