North West premier Thandi Modise sent condolences on Wednesday to those who lost family and property due to torrential rains around the Mahikeng area, her office said.

“The provincial disaster management centre is monitoring the situation and supporting the district disaster management centres in co-ordinating emergency relief efforts,” said spokesman Lesiba Moses Kgwele.

“The department of human settlements has been activated to conduct assessments of damaged infrastructure.”

Three people have died in the area since Monday due to the adverse weather.

Kgwele said the SA Social Security Agency was also on standby to provide emergency food grants to affected households once assessment was completed.

The third person was reported dead in torrential rainfall, North West police said on Wednesday.

An 80-year-old woman was found dead on Tuesday afternoon, beneath a tree between Rantse and Marotse village, said Lt-Col Lesego Metsi.

Mosebi Lenah Motsemme was walking home after visiting her daughter in another village.

“Due to heavy rainfall she lost direction and decided to seek shelter under a tree,” Metsi said.

When she did not return home, her son went looking for her and found her beneath the tree, dead.

Two people were found dead in Madibogo South on Tuesday night, Metsi said.

The first death was a 22-year-old man, who was caught in heavy rain while walking home. His aunt said he coughed the entire night and was unable to walk or talk before dying.

The second was a 52-year-old man who was found dead in a field used for grazing animals.

“It is suspected that he could have been struck by lightning while looking for his cattle when caught up in the heavy rains on his way back.”

The Motsitlane, Dikgatlhong, and Lenganeng sections of Madibogo village have been hit by heavy storms this week.

Metsi said one house had been destroyed, a tavern and several other houses had been damaged, and several families had been left homeless. The damage was estimated at R80 000.

He said the house which was destroyed had belonged to the family of Selina Tsubane, 40, who lived there with her three children and two nieces. She survived on child support grants.