By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Eastern Cape provincial government has confirmed the deaths of seven people due to flooding caused by severe weather conditions in the province.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane lamented the loss of lives, saying he has dispatched members of the provincial executive committee to the OR Tambo district where most of the fatalities were reported.
The bodies of six people were found around Decoligny village in Mthatha, while the seventh body was recovered at Tsolo near Bedlana River.
Mabuyane emphasised the urgent need for caution, urging community members to avoid flooded areas, remain alert on slippery roads, and promptly report any hazards to authorities.
“This is a devastating reminder of nature’s force. We urge everyone to exercise extra caution in areas prone to flooding. Our disaster response teams are on high alert and committed to ensuring the community’s safety,” he stated.
The OR Tambo District — including Mthatha, Qumbu, Tsolo, Komani, Bizana, and KwaBhaca — has been among the hardest hit, with 149mm of rain recorded in Mthatha alone.
The Eastern Cape Department of Health has confirmed that additional medical rescue teams have been deployed from Gqeberha, East London, and the Chris Hani District to support operations in Mthatha.
Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo says local emergency crews have been hard at work since the early hours, rescuing trapped residents in the Slovo area — some from rooftops and even from trees in a flooded dam zone.
He said, “The Department is working in close coordination with provincial disaster management teams and is engaging with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to mobilise further resources.”
Kupelo added that in one dramatic incident, a school principal in Mqanduli was saved after his vehicle was swept into a river.
Gift of the Givers is also assisting people affected by heavy rainfall and snow in Butterworth.
Meanwhile Eskom has earlier confirmed that nearly 300 000 customers have been left without electricity in the wake of damaging gale-force winds and rain, which have brought down power lines across the region.
Restoration teams are being dispatched to affected areas such as Mthatha, Qumbu, Komani, Bizana, and Butterworth — but Eskom is urging patience, warning that all appliances and cables should be treated as live.
Several key roads have been closed or severely affected, including the R61 between Mthatha and Ngcobo, and the N2 near Emakhaphetshwini.
The Wapadsberg Pass between Nxuba and Graaff-Reinet has been blanketed in snow, further complicating travel.
The Provincial Government, along with district municipalities, the SANDF, SAPS, and emergency services, continues to respond to the unfolding disaster.