Heavy rains in North West damage at least 40 houses

Heavy rains have damaged at least 40 houses in the Ntswanahatse, Moretele and Maganeng villages in the Greater Taung Local Municipality in the North West.

The local tribal authority has called on the government to urgently assist the affected families.

The heavy rains have also severely damaged the local roads.

The tribal authority’s Chief Brown Mahura says people whose houses are damaged desperately need help .

“We are pleading with the municipality to please help in providing shelter for those affected by the rains. The municipality should give them shelter because they have nowhere to sleep. In other areas, we only see unfinished municipal emergency shelters. I am pleading [on behalf] for my people so that they may get help.”

Eastern Cape floods

Recent flooding in parts of the Eastern Cape has rendered over 400 families homeless, and residents in some areas are unable to travel to nearby towns. Both teaching and learning are also impacted.

A number of roads and bridges in the Alfred Nzo district of the province have collapsed and even newly built bridges were washed away.