Seventy-eight people have died and more than a thousand have been displaced due to the heavy rains and subsequent flooding. In response, the Eastern Cape has been included in a national disaster classification along with KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and the Western Cape.

Hlabisa explained that the national classification, which was made on Thursday, is a crucial step to enable swift government action.

“Yesterday we made a classification of a national disaster, and there's a difference between classification and declaration,” he said. “Classification is the first step. We made it a national disaster under classification which involves four provinces. The classification merely works the same as a declaration. The problem with a declaration is that it takes long to activate departments.”

According to Hlabisa, the classification now enables all three spheres of government, national, provincial, and local, to step in without delay to provide the necessary support to affected communities.

The disaster has severely impacted infrastructure, housing, and public services across the Eastern Cape. Government departments are expected to begin coordinating emergency relief efforts, including shelter, food, and medical care, while longer-term reconstruction and recovery plans are also under discussion.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit the affected areas to assess the damage and engage with residents as national relief efforts are stepped up.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--