Mthatha: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa is today 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. Thursday’s visit follows the urgent sitting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Disaster Management (ICDM), convened by the Minister on Tuesday, 10 June 2025. The committee meeting was aimed at coordinating a comprehensive national response to severe weather conditions that have impacted several provinces but mostly the Eastern Cape.
According to South African Government News Agency, all provinces have faced severe incidents of extremely cold weather, with coastal provinces experiencing rough seas and rainfall. The Eastern Cape has been the hardest hit by the severe weather incident. 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. On Wednesday, the Eastern Cape Provincial Government reported that 49 people died since the start of the floods as the search continues for those who are unaccounted for.
‘We’d like to convey on behalf of government our condolences to all the people of the Eastern Cape and the people of Mthatha where a tragedy occurred as a result of bad weather we’ve been experiencing since the weekend,’ Hlabisa said on Thursday morning. He also expressed his condolences to the affected schools, including the learners and parents and the surrounding communities. ‘As government, we have descended to the Eastern Cape in Mthatha to give our support and ensure that when the people are in a difficult situation, government is not absent. That’s why at the national level, two Ministers are on the ground,’ he added.
According to Hlabisa, the team will announce the line-up of more senior government leaders who will also visit the province. During the visit, Hlabisa will conduct on-site inspections of areas severely impacted within the OR Tambo District Municipality. He will also receive briefings from local and provincial disaster management teams, engage directly with affected families and community members, and provide updates on ongoing search and rescue operations. This gesture also serves as government solidarity with families mourning the recent scholar transport tragedy in the region. The Minister is also assessing the support mechanisms in place to ensure that all necessary interventions are effectively implemented.
Meanwhile, mop-up operations are underway in KwaZulu-Natal, following severe snowfall, which caused disruptions to major routes and damaged infrastructure. This led to the closure of the N2 highway around Kokstad and Port Shepstone where work is currently underway to remove the snow. While deaths have been reported because of the inclement weather in KwaZulu-Natal, several people have been injured and infrastructure has been significantly affected.