Home News Over a billion rand needed to rebuild Province after devastating rain storms

Over a billion rand needed to rebuild Province after devastating rain storms

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The full extent and cost of the flood damages will be determined after assessments have been completed by the different stakeholders.

Bentley Vass. Picture: Supplied

THE ROUGH estimate to repair flood-damaged roads in the Northern Cape is R682 million, while approximately R600 million will be required to assist in the areas of humanitarian relief, infrastructure repair, agricultural relief and to repair damaged houses.

This is according to the Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Bentley Vass, who on Wednesday delivered a report on the damage the Province suffered during the recent heavy rain storms.

“The situation in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District is very critical as communities commute using the roads from villages around Mothibistad to Kuruman, which is the economic hub,” said Vass.

“The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) has managed to repair one lane on the N8 and has opened the road between Kimberley and Campbell, which will be monitored by a stop-and-go control point on a 24-hour basis until the road is completely repaired in the coming week.

“The N14 between Vryburg and Kuruman was also damaged and will be closed from 6pm to 6am with all signage in place.

“The R31 section between Danielskuil and Kuruman remains closed and the Department of Roads and Public Works are hard at work to complete the repairs by July this year, as the weather permits.”

Vass said that the provincial government will urgently attend to the challenges faced by the affected communities.

“As government, we will have to respond and source funds to urgently repair damaged roads and bridges and assist closed communities with alternative routes for daily business and, more especially, to assist learners in light of schools reopening soon.

“We would like to reassure the public that the government will do everything in its power to prevent further loss of life and will ensure comprehensive and result-driven relief to all affected families. We will also continue to visit the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage and speed up the mobilisation of resources.”

Vass added that he has requested approval from the provincial executive council to declare a provincial state of disaster due to the extent of the damage suffered in the districts.

“I, the MEC for Coghsta, have written a memorandum to request approval from the provincial executive council to declare a provincial disaster in terms of Section 41 (1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No 57 of 2002), due to the heavy rainfall and floods which have affected the five district municipalities. I have thus taken a decision to declare a provincial state of disaster in all the district municipalities in terms of Section 41 (1)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No 57 of 2002). The National Disaster Management Centre will be notified about the disaster in the Province,” he said.

Vass added that the full extent and cost of the flood damages will only be determined after assessments have been completed by the different stakeholders.

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