N West looks to fast track funds to fix flood damage

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"Though the final assessment has not been concluded, repairs to the damaged infrastructure and enhancement of the design and structural quality of the damaged infrastructure such as houses, bridges, roads and culverts, has already commenced," Premier Modise said on Thursday, 20 March 2014.

She said lack of spatial planning, municipal by-laws that result in uncoordinated and unplanned human settlements on low lying areas and river banks, and poor drainage systems in urban areas had increased vulnerability and the scale of flooding.

Eleven people were confirmed dead due to sporadic flood disaster incidents from early February to date. Six of the fatalities were reported in Madibeng and Moses Kotane Local Municipalities in the Bojanala Platinum District, while five were reported in Kagisano-Molopo Local Municipality in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District.

Kagisano-Molopo was the worst affected by flooding, with 232 houses affected, 25 of which had collapsed; 280km of road and five culverts were damaged in the municipality. Three bridges were also damaged in Moses Kotane and two in Madibeng Local Municipality. In some areas, schools were inaccessible due to damaged infrastructure.

Premier Modise said although measures such as relief of social distress grants, tents, blankets, food parcels and mattresses were handed out, public awareness campaigns on rainwater harvesting initiatives must be intensified in schools and vulnerable communities.

"The determination as to whether it will be necessary for the province to be declared a disaster area would depend on the final consolidated assessment report to be finalised in the coming week. The Madibeng Local Municipality has already submitted a request to Bojanala Platinum District Municipality to declare it a disaster area in terms of section 54 and 55 of the Disaster Management Act," the Premier said.

The Provincial Disaster Management Centre says municipalities must include disaster risk reduction in their development planning, as a crucial medium to long-term intervention.

The centre will continue to monitor the weather pattern and issue early warnings when necessary.