Ramaphosa vows tighter disaster management as KZN grapples with flood aftermath

Close to 400 fatalities have been confirmed, with the majority of the damage reported in eThekwini. 

Dozens are still reported missing and feared dead.  

Families across the province were left destitute by the torrential rains. 

The damage to property and infrastructure is estimated to run into billions of rands as the province continues with mop-up operations.  

Ramaphosa told media that government would pull out all the stops to help the province recover from the ruins. 

“There’s been such a catastrophe and we need to pay attention to everything we can do to restore the lives of our people there, businesses, infrastructure,” he said speaking outside a church in Mpumalanga where he attended a Good Friday service. 

The South African National Defence Force was deployed to the region earlier this week. 

 It’s understood their priority will include rescue and search missions, as well as the restoration of some infrastructure. 

“We are attending to everyone, and we will be doing it both from national and provincial level. We have work day and night to restore everything. 

“It’s going to take us some timed there may well be some delays in terms of other infrastructure that will take time, but I’m pleased that our provincial government and our local government, in eThekwini particularly, are paying attention to all the work that needs to be done.” 

Government has come under fire for being caught on the back foot. 

Ramaphosa admitted cabinet would need to be better prepared for future disasters.  

“We also need to deal more with better preparedness for disasters, particularly climate change-driven disasters as well as just the town planning because popped have built in very dangerous areas of the topography of KwaZulu-Natal and we need to be more careful.” 

Watch Ramaphosa below: 

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