South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday visited the town of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, where devastating floods have killed at least 78 people and left dozens missing. As search and rescue operations entered their fourth day, authorities warned that the death toll is likely to rise further, with children among the worst affected.
The unprecedented flooding, which began in the early hours of Tuesday, has caused widespread destruction in one of South Africa’s most impoverished regions. Heavy rains, strong winds, and even rare snowfall battered parts of the Eastern Cape after meteorologists issued early warnings of an approaching severe weather system. Despite the alerts, local response efforts were hindered by a lack of emergency resources, prompting public outcry and government reassurances.
Ramaphosa Assesses Ground Zero
President Ramaphosa’s visit comes amid growing concerns over the preparedness and capacity of local disaster response units. Landing in Mthatha, one of the worst-hit areas, Ramaphosa was briefed by officials from the National Disaster Management Centre before visiting a collapsed bridge where a tragic incident had occurred. A school bus carrying children was swept away by floodwaters earlier in the week. Of the passengers, six students, the bus driver, and another adult have been confirmed dead. Four other schoolchildren remain missing.
“The loss of young lives is heartbreaking,” Ramaphosa said during his visit. “This is a tragedy of enormous scale, and we must do everything possible to support the families affected. Government will not abandon them.”
He further assured the public that emergency support and psychological counseling would be provided for the grieving families and survivors, many of whom watched their loved ones drown or be swept away by the torrents.
A Region Paralyzed by Lack of Resources
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane painted a grim picture of the initial disaster response. He noted that the province — home to more than 7.2 million people — had access to only one official rescue helicopter, which had to be flown in from over 500 kilometers away.
“Our initial rescue efforts were effectively paralyzed,” Mabuyane admitted during the briefing with President Ramaphosa. “We lacked the basic tools to respond — no local divers, no K-9 search units, and only one helicopter to cover such a vast and rugged landscape.”
The Premier called for urgent national support to upgrade the province’s disaster preparedness and strengthen community-based early warning systems.
First-Hand Horror: Survivor Accounts
Survivors and residents of Mthatha described terrifying scenes from the predawn hours of Tuesday when flash floods ripped through homes, roads, and schools.
Zinathi Vuso, a local resident, recounted the nightmare: “I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with corrugated iron sheets. Others tried to grab onto anything — trees, poles — but the water was too strong. I watched them go under.”
Rescue workers say some bodies were recovered nearly two kilometers away from where the victims were last seen. Many families are still desperately searching for missing loved ones, with children making up a significant portion of those unaccounted for.
Government Urges Public Help in Tracking the Missing
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, who has led the national government’s coordination of the disaster response, issued a plea for cooperation.
“We are in a crisis — a real disaster,” Hlabisa said during an interview with the SABC. “The more the floodwaters recede, the more victims we are likely to find. We urge residents to report anyone still missing so we can prioritize the search.”
Hlabisa added that the government is mobilizing more personnel and equipment, including trained dogs, medical personnel, and community support services.
Vulnerability of Coastal Communities
This latest flooding disaster highlights the growing vulnerability of South Africa’s coastal regions to extreme weather events. In 2022, similar floods in and around Durban claimed more than 400 lives, and many of the conditions that contributed to that tragedy have yet to be adequately addressed.
Environmental experts say that informal settlements and poor urban planning in floodplains and near riverbanks continue to expose thousands to unnecessary risk. Much of the devastation in the Eastern Cape occurred in low-income areas where homes are built from corrugated metal and other flimsy materials that cannot withstand extreme weather.
“Climate change is making these types of events more frequent and more intense,” said Dr. Andile Mthembu, a climate policy analyst based in Johannesburg. “But the loss of life is not just due to the weather — it’s about inequality, weak infrastructure, and poor disaster planning.”
A Call for Resilience and Reform
As national attention remains fixed on the rescue operations, President Ramaphosa called for unity and urgency in rebuilding the affected communities.
“We must not only respond to this disaster but learn from it. We need to invest in the resilience of our people — especially the poor — and that means improving infrastructure, relocating vulnerable communities, and strengthening our emergency services,” Ramaphosa said.
The government has pledged immediate humanitarian relief, including temporary shelters, food parcels, and trauma support services. Local NGOs and international aid organizations have also begun mobilizing resources to assist in the effort.
Hope Amid Grief
Despite the overwhelming grief, stories of courage and unity are emerging. Community members have joined rescue workers in clearing debris, offering food to stranded neighbors, and helping identify the dead.
As water levels continue to fall and access to affected areas improves, it is expected that more missing persons will be located. But for now, the nation mourns.
“This is one of the darkest weeks in our province’s history,” said Premier Mabuyane. “But it is also a moment to stand together and show that our collective humanity can rise above the floodwaters.”
