Johannesburg, Apr 19 (PTI) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national disaster and announced a slew of measures to deal with the devastating floods triggered by rains that have killed more than 400 people, with dozens still missing. And more than 40,000 people were left homeless in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The new state of calamity comes just a fortnight after Ramaphosa announced the end of the one imposed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The floods followed four days of unprecedented torrential rains, Ramaphosa said on Monday that could be to blame for climate change.
The president said that although a provincial state of disaster was declared in the KZN last week, the floods have disrupted fuel lines and food supplies across the country from Durban, which is South Africa’s main port of entry and the most on the African continent. is big.
Rescue teams search for dozens of people in the KZN who have been missing in recent days after heavy rains caused floods and landslides that have killed more than 400 people.
Floods in Durban, one of Africa’s busiest ports, have left thousands homeless, disrupted electricity and water services and disrupted operations.
Ramaphosa said there are indications that impending adverse weather conditions could affect other provinces as well.
He said that this had created a situation of national calamity.
Several roads and bridges have also been destroyed, with the defense force now tasked with assisting in repairing heavy damage to infrastructure.
Ramaphosa said the national status of the disaster will enable mobilization of more resources, capabilities and technical expertise in providing relief, recovery and rehabilitation to affected areas, with national, provincial and local governments working together to address the challenges.
He announced a three-phase plan to deal with the disaster.
“First, we will focus on immediate humanitarian relief, ensuring that all affected persons are safe and that their basic needs are met. Second, we will focus on stabilization and recovery, rehabilitation of people who have lost homes. and restore the provision of services.Thirdly, we will focus on rebuilding and rebuilding, including infrastructure that has been destroyed and devastated, Ramaphosa said.
“I have authorized the South African National Defense Force to bring in more personnel, water storage and purification supplies and engineering teams to assist with the restoration of electricity as well as water,” he said.
The President said that preparations were on to provide temporary housing units and hoped that the construction of these temporary shelters should start by the end of this week.
He said, “Financial assistance is being made available through voucher system to assist families to rebuild partially damaged houses. A national team of project managers and engineers to assess the damages and advise on the reconstruction has been deployed in the province.”
Announcing the immediate deployment of one billion rand from the Treasury for this purpose, Ramaphosa said a wide range of private sector organizations and individuals with expert expertise will be used to ensure that the funds are not misused or stolen. Yes, as was the case with the Emergency. funding during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still being uncovered.
“There can be no room for corruption, fraud or mismanagement of any kind. Learning from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are bringing together various stakeholders to be part of an oversight structure to ensure that All money is distributed as possible to respond to this. The disaster is properly accounted for and the state receives value for money.
“We are determined that there should be transparency and accountability as to how projects are costed and implemented, as well as how resources are deployed from the beginning; not after money is wasted or stolen,” Ramaphosa stressed.
Relief organizations across the country scrambled to get water, food and clothing to thousands of people in the KZN as the president’s national broadcast, in many areas only accessible by helicopter. PTI FH MRJ MRJ
(This story has been published as part of an auto-generated Syndicate wire feed. Headline or body have not been edited by ABP Live.)