President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a national state of disaster on Monday in order to increase reaction to the terrible flooding that has ravaged seven out of South Africa’s nine provinces. The national state of disaster law grants the government extra power, including the freedom to circumvent restrictions on the acquisition and provision of goods and services.
Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape have been the areas most severely affected by the floods, according to a statement from the president’s office on Monday.
The floods were caused by heavy rain brought on by the La Nina weather phenomenon. Additionally, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and North West have experienced flooding.
A national disaster may be declared by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs where disastrous events occur or threaten to occur in more than one province, the statement said.
‘In agriculture, farmers have suffered crop and livestock losses, and anticipate further losses as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) predicts that current heavy rains will persist,’ it added.
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