Since floods ravaged Limpopo in the past few weeks, roads have been turned into dongas while schools and clinics look like swimming pools.
Residents had to stay away from work and school on Monday, due to heavy rains that fell in various provinces since Wednesday last week.
Many are still living in fear, worried their homes could be swept away after the South African Weather Service warned of more rain this week.
The flooding also caused power poles to come out of the ground, leaving many households without electricity for days.
People living along the river have started moving their valuables to safer areas.
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Rimbo Maramane Maake, principal at Relela Primary in the Bolobedu area near Tzaneen, said almost three-quarters of students and teachers were unable to report to school on Monday.
“We have encouraged parents not to take their children to school because it crosses several roads and this river can be fatal,” he said.
“Rain is good because it brings water and you know what they say, water is life, but not this kind of rain.”
“It destroyed houses and government infrastructure. It also destroys our homes and also prevents us from working in the city.
A teacher at Boke High in Bokhuta Village, near Thapane, said teachers have not been able to attend school since early February. He said many schools in Limpopo are in poor communities.
“Most of these schools are located in the highlands. They are surrounded by rivers and valleys. When it rains, these rivers and valleys are full… This makes it difficult to cross,” he said.
Lathane Kgatlala, a community activist in Bolobedu near Khethakone, woke up early in the morning to help workers and children cross the road near Maleoka Sports Ground in Relela. It is a busy road leading to schools, towns and government buildings.
The flood has destroyed part of the road.
“We can’t wait for the government to come and fix this road. When the students come, our parents will lose their jobs, our children will go to school, or sometimes the unlucky ones will drown in this valley. I wake up at 4 in the morning just to help those who want to go to school and those who want to work in the city,” said Kgatlala.
Also read: Hundreds evacuated as Komani is hit by floods
Angry parents, who were stuck on the side of the road with a bakkie full of children, said they had no choice but to take the children back home.
“It’s frustrating. We always ask the DPRD to destroy this road. But no, he immediately denied it, saying that the students were only destroying the road during a funeral. This is inactive. One day we will take the law into our own hands and make this community ungovernable,” he said.
At the time of going to print, the two Limpopo cooperative governments, human settlements and traditional affairs and public works departments said they were aware of the damage caused by the floods and were calculating the amount.
“We have sent a team of experts to flood-prone areas. As a department, we are prepared for any eventuality. However, we urge parents not to leave their children during floods. We also caution that children should not play in the river bank because this is dangerous for them.