29 Mar 2016

There was no early warning on floods in the South East District, Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele has said. 

Responding to a question in Parliament recently, Mr Makgalemele said the weather for the region for March 14-15 was reported as cloudy and warm with isolated thunder showers. 

He said the District Disaster Management Committee was always ready to act whenever disaster occurred. 

The committee, he added was mobilised and evacuation process commenced immediately to safeguard the lives of affected victims. 

Mr Makgalemele said evacuation was followed by rapid assessment in Ramotswa, Taung, Otse, Mogobane and Tlokweng. 

The assistant minister said the National Disaster Management Office also released funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund immediately on March 15 to provide relief to those in need. 

He said no compensation would be paid to people whose property was affected by the floods. 

However, he said 11 victims out of 26 in Ramotswa were provided with food baskets and the rest did not require assistance. 

In Otse, he said one out of four was provided with food basket while all nine victims in Tlokweng had been provided with food baskets. 

Further, he said people were not warned as the weather forecast did not predict heavy falls or flooding in the South East. 

Thus, he said government would in future look into providing storm water drainage system when funds were available to avoid flooding, adding his ministry would continue to strengthen capacity of the District Disaster Management Committees to prepare and respond to disasters such as floods. 

The NDMO, he said in collaboration with Department of Meteorological Services and Department of Water Affairs had developed Standard Operating Procedures to improve on early warning system for weather related disasters and they were to sign a memorandum of understanding. 

Ramotswa MP, Mr Samuel Rantuana had asked the minister if residents of the South East District were forewarned of the floods that had hit the District since March 14 and if not, why they were not warned. 

Mr Rantuana also asked the minister to state the level of preparedness of government’s response and rescue teams and what compensation would be given to the people affected by floods that were perpetuated by high internal roads that diverted the waters into their yards. 

He further wanted to know measures in place to avoid such disasters. Ends