President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit the Eastern Cape tomorrow, Tuesday, 28 March 2023, to assess the aftermath of recent floods that have claimed lives and damaged private property and public infrastructure.

The President will visit Port St Johns from 3pm.

The OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province has been affected by torrential rainfall over the past week, which caused flooding resulting in loss of life, displacement of communities and damage to infrastructure. 

Severe weather for which the South African Weather Service had issued early warnings on 22 and 23 March affected communities in Port St Johns, Ingquza Hill, Nyandeni and King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipalities.

The floods disrupted critical infrastructure and services to water and electricity supply services, teaching and learning, as well as roads and bridges that collapsed.

Government has activated a working Special Intergovernmental Committee on Disaster Management to provide support and relief to the affected communities.

Teams comprising national, provincial and local spheres of government have been assessing the damage and providing emergency support in the form of shelter, food, blankets and other essentials.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Ms Thembi Nkadimeng and Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane to interact with residents and other stakeholders, and to assess current response and recovery efforts, and further actions or resources needed to help communities ravaged.

On arrival, the President will visit the Port St Johns Youth Centre, which is housing residents who have lost homes in the floods.

The President and his delegation will then proceed to damaged roads in the Mthumbane area, close to Port St Johns’ Second Beach.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency: Republic of South Africa.