By REGINALD KANYANE

9 January 2025- The North West Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC), working together with Municipal Disaster Centres, remains on high alert for incidents of disaster across the province. This comes as disaster management teams are on the ground conducting needs and impact assessment following heavy rainfall that affected many parts of the province and damaged infrastructure, properties and possessions. 

The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi said the province has experienced heavy rainfall in the past few days and the district municipalities that were largely affected included Bojanala Platinum and Ngaka Modiri Molema.

Molapisi further said both formal and informal houses were damaged by the heavy rains, including municipal infrastructure such as culverts, roads and bridges. He added that Kromkuil Bridge in Moretele has collapsed, scores of houses in Moretele, Rustenburg, JB Marks, Ditsobotla, Ratlou and Mahikeng Local Municipalities were flooded.

“Roofs of houses at Mokgola in Ramotshere Moiloa and Ledig in Moses Kotane were blown away. Mud houses at Moshwaneng in Ratlou Local Municipality, were affected and faced possibilities of collapsing. Public amenities such as hospitals, clinics and schools were also not spared.

“Lehurutshe Hospital, Moses Kotane Hospital in Ledig and General Delarey in Lichtenburg are some of those which were affected. Bogosi Clinic and Primary School in Moretele was also water-logged,” said Molapisi.

He said mop-up operations are underway to bring all affected facilities back to full operation. Molapisi said upon receiving reports on disaster incidents, he directed coordination on the ground to assist affected residents and communities across the province.

“The provincial preparedness and response contingency plan have been developed and are being implemented. Various sector departments and municipalities have been briefed and activated in line with their roles and responsibilities, and they use their own resources to respond to emergencies/disasters incidents.

“The National Department of Human Settlement provided Temporary Residential Units (TRU’s) for damaged houses in the province. The affected departments will reprioritise their budget to address the pressure created by the flood disaster incidents,” he said.

Molapisi has directed sector departments and municipalities to budget for proactive disaster management activities to avert some of the disaster incidents.

“As part of the long-term intervention, municipalities must on an on-going basis maintain road infrastructures and storm water drainage systems to reduce flooding.

“The Department of Public Works and Roads in collaboration with municipalities will repair damaged roads, bridges and culverts and the Department of Human Settlements will repair all affected RDP houses,” said Molapisi.

He said municipalities must incorporate disaster risk reduction into development planning (IDP’s) and they must also develop bylaws and their enforcement strategy thereof. Molapisi said the department and PDMC will continue to coordinate sectors to ensure safer and disaster-resilient communities in the province.

“The department is also working with South African Weather Service (SAWS) for issuance of severe weather early warnings to role-players and communities.

“SAWS predicts that the province will still experience above-normal rainfall throughout the autumn season,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Development and SASSA profiled affected families and a Social Relief of Distressed grant was provided. The Al-IMAAD and Gift of the Givers organisations provided humanitarian relief in some affected areas, including Ditsobotla.

They included hygiene packs, blankets, food parcels and mattresses. The Red Cross donated 100 blankets to Bojanala District Disaster Management Centre. In most of the areas in the province, the blocked drainage system is to be blamed for flooding.

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