Minister and MEC for COGTA to visit flooded areas in Tshwane

At this point, Gauteng is the hardest hit with incidents that have required people to be evacuated from buildings and some relocated to community halls and churches.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will be accompanied by the MEC for COGTA in Gauteng, Lebogang Maile, on a visit to some of the areas devastated by the current persistent rain and floods in Tshwane.

The department is coordinating multi-disciplinary interventions through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) to respond to the devastation caused by the current persistent rain and resultant floods in Gauteng, the North West Province, Mpumalanga and some parts of Limpopo.

At this point, Gauteng is the hardest hit with incidents that have required people to be evacuated from buildings and some relocated to community halls and churches.

The NDMC is monitoring the situation at the national level and has activated the national rapid response committee to coordinate multi-disciplinary rescue interventions and relief efforts through the departments such as Social Development and Health.

"The national rapid response committee receives regular status reports from Provincial Disaster Management Centres, which are used to guide interventions on the ground," the department said on Monday.

The committee also receives an in-depth forecast from the South African Weather Service for improved planning and implementation of Disaster Reduction Strategies.

The Minister has noted the rapid response by various disaster management teams at all spheres of government and expressed satisfaction on their swift reaction and current reports of no loss of life.

In the meantime, the department has urged South Africans to listen to the alerts and tips about severe weather conditions that the authorities and other sources provide through media and other sources.

"I urge you all to listen to the radio and consistently seek alerts issued by your local municipalities as this is crucial in avoiding areas that are unsafe and also getting information on where you can get assistance in case you get stranded," said Minister Dlamini Zuma.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)