MBOMBELA - As mop-up operations continue in flood-stricken Mpumalanga, the province has recorded 20 deaths.
Over 1,300 houses, roads, and public infrastructure have been damaged.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mpumalanga on Monday to assess flood-affected areas and witness the scale of devastation.
Speed Mashilo, MEC for Cooperative Governance, said progress was being made to repair the roads for access to healthcare facilities and schools.
“The majority of our areas are inaccessible. A team is ready to deal with the repairing of our roads, restoration of electricity and communication lines for those that have been cut off,” he said.
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“The water is now subsiding in other parts of the province, despite Bushbuckridge and Nkomazi. We hope by Thursday, we might have a little bit of light, which will give us an opportunity to start working at full speed.”
Mashilo refuted an earlier statement by the South African Local Government Association that the three spheres of government were not coordinating to minimise flood damage.
“We were quite prepared for these incidents,” he said.