By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
At least 49 people have died in flooding in Eastern Cape after an extreme cold front brought heavy rain and snow to parts of the country.
Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane confirmed that 39 deaths had occurred in the OR Tambo District alone, including schoolchildren who were swept away in a flooded minibus taxi while en route to school.
Mabuyane was briefing the media on Wednesday, after visiting the hardest-hit areas around Mthatha.
“We have convened this briefing to update the people of OR Tambo, people of the Eastern Cape and South Africa about what has happened this side of the country,” said Mabuyane.
The dead include high school students who were washed away when their school bus was caught in floodwaters near a river on Tuesday, Mabuyane told journalists. He said four other students were missing.
“The number of people confirmed to have been in the minibus is 13 learners with two adults, the driver and the assistant,” Mabuyane said.
“As of now, the status has escalated to 49 as per the South African Police Services,” Mabuyane said.
He said the death toll was likely to rise: “As we speak here, other bodies are being discovered.”
“We reiterate our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and call on residents to remain vigilant and to follow guidance from local disaster management teams,” he said.
The Premier also confirmed that all MECs have been deployed to focus on service delivery needs and mop-up operations in affected areas.
Mabuyane said infrastructure technical teams have been activated to carry out assessment to ascertain the extent of the damage as well as interventions that are required across the province.
In neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal, 68 schools across nine districts have been damaged but no fatalities have been recorded.
The heavy snow, rains and gale force winds have also left nearly 500,000 homes without electricity since Tuesday – and state-owned power utility Eskom says efforts are being made to restore connections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his condolences to the families of those who died as he urged citizens to “display caution, care and cooperation as the worst impacts of winter weather take effect across the country”.
The Eastern Cape – the birthplace of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela – has been worst-affected by the icy conditions, along with KwaZulu-Natal province.