South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit flood-stricken sites in the country’s southeast on Friday, where at least 78 people have died and search operations continue for a fourth day.
Ramaphosa’s office confirmed he will travel to Mthatha in Eastern Cape province, the hardest-hit area since floods began in the early hours of Tuesday.
The visit follows criticism of authorities’ initial disaster response. An extreme weather front triggered heavy rain, strong winds, and snow across parts of the province, despite forecasts warning of severe conditions last week.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane acknowledged rescue efforts were “paralysed” initially due to resource shortages, including specialised search teams, divers, and K-9 units in one of South Africa’s poorest regions. Mabuyane revealed the province of 7.2 million people has only one official rescue helicopter, which had to be deployed from a city over 500 kilometres away.
Many victims were swept away alongside houses and debris during the pre-dawn floods. Rescue teams continue scouring floodwaters and damaged structures for missing persons, with children among the confirmed dead. Authorities expect more bodies to be recovered as waters recede.
Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, leading the national response team, urged residents to report missing persons to aid rescue efforts. In a late Thursday address on SABC, Hlabisa stated:
We are in a crisis. A real disaster. The more water subsides, the more people will be found.
