Ramaphosa: Hundreds feared dead in KZN floods

While a figure surpassing 250 was announced by KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, Ramaphosa told media in Ntuzuma, north of Durban, that the official number would be released on Wednesday evening.

Ramaphosa, alongside Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala and a contingency of provincial MECs visited the areas hardest hit by the floods.

Ramaphosa decried the extent of damage to property and the loss of lives, adding the disaster was estimated to be the worst seen by the province in recent years.

The estimate surpasses the 2019 floods.

"The heavy rain has been the worst in recent years. The situation is bad," he told community members.

Ramaphosa added Treasury would be rallied for more relief funds while govt prepares to declare the province a disaster area.

"We are making preparations. KZN is going to be declared as a provincial area of disaster so that laws can kick in and we are able do things quickly.

"The bridges have collapsed, the roads have collapsed. People have died, our people are injured. This is a catastrophe of enormous proportions,” said Ramaphosa.

Government has come under fire this week for a lack of preparedness for natural disasters.

Ramaphosa admitted his administration needed to ramp up its response.

"This disaster is obviously part of climate change. It is telling us that climate change is serious, it is here. We can no longer postpone what we need to do, the measures we need to take to deal with climate change.

"Our disaster management capability needs to be at a higher level. That we are going to process as we go on."

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