The government cited violations of spatial laws and poor infrastructure as factors that contributed to the impact of recent floods that devastated the province.
According to Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, many communities suffer from flooding by living in low-lying areas and very close to rivers and dams; life and asset risk.
Flood victims are to blame
“Some of our residents have settled on the flood line, thereby violating the spatial laws governing land management,” he said.
“This ultimately resulted in flooded homes, displacement of families and loss of life. We must step up enforcement of municipal ordinances to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Assessing the damage
On Saturday Mtshweni-Tsipane visited the affected areas in Mbombela City and Nkomazi local municipality, including Thekwane South, the Mlumati river bridge between Driekoppies and Schoemansdal, Shongwe Boarding School, as well as the temporary shelter in Masibekela.
He was accompanied by MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development, Land Affairs and Environment, Busi Shiba, executive mayor of Ehlanzeni District Jester Sidel, executive mayors of two local municipalities, Director General Makukhu Mampuru as well as senior managers in the provincial government.
Also read: Mpumalanga residents save what they can after floods
His office said the assessment looked at short-term and long-term interventions to respond to the disaster.
Since it started in early February, the continuous rains have caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, health facilities and schools, houses, water plants and farms.
relief efforts
The Mpumalanga provincial government, in collaboration with municipal humanitarian NGOs – such as Gift of the Givers and the Red Cross – is now on the ground to help with relief efforts.
The Prime Minister said that the lack of rainwater drainage led to water overflowing above the bridge. The biggest task is to restore the infrastructure, including raising the bridge to a higher level.
“In almost all the bridges that have been assessed, it is clear that they are low, and therefore when the water level rises, water flows over it in all directions,” he said in a statement.
“When we restore the infrastructure, we will ensure that the level of the bridge rises higher [and] build a drainage system.”
READ ALSO: Floods: Body of 16-year-old Mpumalanga teenager found in dam
More rain is expected
Mtshweni-Tsipane said the continuous rain interrupted learning at school in Nkomazi municipality; said with more rain predicted this week, the community should be on high alert.
The government, in terms of the Disaster Management Act 2002, declared a state of national disaster to activate an intensive and coordinated response to the impact of floods that affected Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North. Tanjung, and North West.
The National Disaster Management Center has, in terms of Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act, classified the impact of the current, above-normal rainfall in various parts of the country – with Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape being the most affected – as a national disaster. .
NOW READ: Government declares state of calamity due to widespread flooding