Cape Town: Cabinet has expressed its heartfelt condolences to the families that lost their loved ones during the devastating storms and heavy floods that claimed the lives of 57 people in the Eastern Cape. Due to the recent adverse weather conditions in the province, several families have been displaced and infrastructure was damaged.

According to South African Government News Agency, Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced that the government is coordinating rescue and support operations through the inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Disaster Management. Emergency teams have been deployed from Gqeberha, East London, and the Chris Hani District to the affected areas to support local first responders. Ntshavheni extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the flooding across various areas in the Eastern Cape during a media briefing in Cape Town on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, a severe winter weather system resulted in a significant and dramatic drop in daytime temperatures in all provinces, leading to incidents of extremely cold weather. Coastal provinces experienced rough seas and rainfall, with the Eastern Cape being the hardest hit by these conditions. A scholar transport minibus transporting children was swept by water near Mthatha, leading to the loss of life. Some media reports say three children survived the ordeal after they were found clinging to a tree.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa is currently visiting flood-affected communities in and around Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to assess the impact of the recent floods and evaluate the progress of ongoing disaster response efforts.