National Disaster Declared After Severe Storms Hit Six Provinces
The move unlocks national coordination and funding for relief.
Overview
- South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre classified the week‑long storms as a national disaster to speed a unified response across government.
- The affected areas span the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Free State, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, where flooding, strong winds, thunderstorms and snowfall disrupted daily life.
- COGTA said it will release money for recovery, which will help repair damaged roads and services and support people forced from their homes.
- SAWS warned of another strong system for the Western Cape with very strong winds, 6–8 meter waves and possible storm surges along the coast.
- Authorities pre‑positioned search and rescue teams and put Eskom rapid response units on standby as Cape Town reported blown roofs, flooded neighborhoods and the closure of Chapman’s Peak Drive.