By Johnathan Paoli
Government has declared a national disaster after severe weather and flooding continued to devastate parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal this week.
At least 31 people were confirmed dead by Sunday — 20 in Mpumalanga and 11 in Limpopo — prompting the mobilisation of all three spheres of government under the National Disaster Management Centre to coordinate relief efforts and prioritise urgent infrastructure repairs.
On Saturday, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa convened an urgent Inter-Governmental Committee on Disaster to assess the impact of the floods and coordinate a national response.
“We need to reprioritise our budgets to intervene in these communities, so that life can get back to normal or even better than what it had been,” Hlabisa said.
In Mpumalanga, the full scale of destruction is still emerging, with preliminary damage estimates now exceeding R2 billion.
Persistent rainfall since mid-November has caused severe damage to roads, bridges, schools, water infrastructure and private homes, leaving thousands of residents affected.
Provincial officials say more than 1 200 households have been impacted, while major rivers and dams remain at full capacity, raising fears of further flooding.
As mop-up operations continue, oversight visits are being conducted in affected areas.
During the past week, in Msholozi village, where a low-lying bridge was destroyed by floodwaters, a 45-year-old woman was swept away while attempting to cross the bridge and was later found five kilometres downstream.
Provincial spokesperson Freddy Ngobe said the MEC is leading a multi-stakeholder assessment, particularly in Nkomazi, to compile a report for submission to the National Disaster Management Centre, as the province prepares to seek national intervention.
In Limpopo, police have opened inquest dockets following the drowning deaths of two young children in separate incidents.
In Tshilapfene village near Thohoyandou, a six-year-old girl drowned after being swept away by the fast-flowing Gobe River while attempting to cross with other children.
In a separate incident in Nkomo Village 22B near Giyani, a two-year-old boy drowned after falling into a water-filled pit toilet.
The tragedies come as search-and-rescue operations continue in several parts of the province.
Emergency personnel are searching for two to three men who were swept away while attempting to cross a submerged bridge near Thohoyandou.
The Mutale River has burst its banks, turning the bridge into a high-risk zone for motorists and pedestrians.
Flooding has also cut off communities in Phalaborwa, where residents have endured days without electricity and water after infrastructure was washed away.
Provincial authorities say more than 400 roads across Limpopo have been damaged or destroyed, requiring billions of rand in repairs.
Close to 2 000 homes have been affected, while concerns are mounting about waterborne diseases, as treatment plants and pumps remain submerged.
In northern KwaZulu-Natal, the impact of the floods continues to intensify, particularly in Jozini and surrounding areas.
Preliminary reports showed that 158 houses have been affected, with 72 destroyed.
Entire villages have been cut off from schools, healthcare facilities and economic activity due to washed-away roads and bridges.
The South African Red Cross Society says it is providing food and hygiene kits to affected families in Jozini, although access remains a challenge.
Provincial manager Siyabonga Hlatshwayo said relief efforts were temporarily halted due to rising water levels at low-lying bridges but are set to resume.
Blankets and mattresses are also being prepared for displaced families.
Beyond South Africa’s borders, flooding has also intensified in Eswatini and Mozambique.
Eswatini has reported at least three fatalities and significant infrastructure damage, including the collapse of more than 25 homes.
Mozambique has borne the brunt of the regional crisis, with over 100 deaths confirmed, more than 200,000 people affected, and widespread damage to homes, crops and transport networks.
One confirmed South African national remains missing in Mozambique after his vehicle was swept away near Chokwe, while rescue operations continue.
The South African Weather Service says conditions are slowly easing but has urged continued caution.
INSIDE METROS