Limpopo flood damage estimated at R4bn
Premier Phophi Ramathuba says Limpopo needs an estimated R4 billion to repair over 400 roads damaged by floods, with the full cost still unknown.
LIMPOPO – The government of Limpopo says it will need R4 billion to fix the infrastructure damaged by the recent floods.
Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba announced this during a press conference in Polokwane recently.
Repair costs estimated as assessments continue
She says that the R4bn is just an estimation as there are still areas that are inaccessible to assess the total damages, and they are anticipating the situation to be worse.
The premier said 439 roads, covering a 600km radius have been damaged including national roads such as the R527, R40, R71, R36, R578, R526, R529 and R524.
Municipal streets have also been severely affected. Local municipalities have not yet indicated how much they will need to fix the damage.
Sanral visited Phalaborwa last week to assess the damage to roads and bridges, but no information on the extent of the damage is available yet.
Ramathuba said the damaged roads hinder residents, especially in the Vhembe and Mopani municipalities, from accessing clinics, schools and shops.
Mopani has been enduring storms and heavy rainfall since the middle of December.
In the Greater Tzaneen Municipality many communities spent their Day of Goodwill in darkness after a sudden storm hit, leaving families with damaged roofs, churches collapsed and trees uprooted in the streets.
Additional search teams deployed to find missing persons
Meanwhile last week Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGSTHA) Minister Thembi Simelane together with the premier and the CoGSTHA MEC Basikopo Makamu conducted an oversight visit of the flood-stricken areas.
On Friday, January 23, the duo visited the villages of Mbaula and Petanenge in Tzaneen and Mashishimale in Phalaborwa.
They were accompanied by Gift of the Givers who donated groceries to affected families in these areas.
During the visit Makamu welcomed the deployment of additional rescuers from the National Disaster Management Center to bolster the work of recovering the missing persons that were swept away during the floods.
As of Friday, January 23, five people were still missing. The number of fatalities is 19.
“We recognise the trauma that the families are going through and assures them that with the additional teams of rescuers added, their loved ones will be found,” said Makamu.
