South Africa: National State of Disaster Extended to 18 August

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has extended the National State of Disaster to 18 August 2022.

In a Government Gazette published on Monday, the Ministry said the extension of the National State of Disaster "owes to the impact of severe weather events which was originally declared on 18 April 2022".

It said: "The extension takes into account the need to continue augmenting the existing contingency measures undertaken by organs of state to mitigate and address the impact of severe weather phenomena on affected communities and infrastructure".

The Ministry said government was working with various social partners to transition affected communities from humanitarian emergency to stabilisation and recovery.

A total of 85 280 people were affected by floods which wreaked havoc in KwaZulu-Natal, leaving thousands of people in five districts and the eThekwini Municipality homeless, with 461 fatalities. Over 4 000 houses were damaged in the inclement weather, displacing thousands others. The Eastern Cape, North West and Free State provinces were also affected.

In June, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said 6 895 people were left homeless and 50 others injured. "In all, a total of 27 069 households were affected with 8 584 houses totally destroyed and 13 536 partially destroyed," he said.

This article originally appeared on SAnews.gov.za

Photo: SAnews.gov.za