Phalatse moves to declare Joburg flood a disaster
Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has submitted a report to the provincial and national disaster management to declare parts of flood-stricken Johannesburg as disaster.
Phalatse briefed the media on the city’s response to the floods in Soweto on Saturday.
She said approximately 213 formal households have been damaged by the floods.
“Thus far, 23 people have been rescued by Joburg EMS; 148 people have been rescued by SAPS Search and Rescue; 61 informal settlement dwellings have been damaged; and 16 people have tragically lost their lives, including off-duty SAPS member, Warrant Officer Ntsako Pataka.
“The current damage to state infrastructure sits at approximately R300-million (R292,419,903) and we expect this figure to increase, as some areas are still under water or inaccessible, therefore making it impossible to conduct an accurate and a final assessment.”
Phalatse added that the city requires concurrence from provincial and national level to declare a state of disaster.
“We therefore trust that the detailed report submitted to the relevant authorities, will accelerate the declaration of a Local State of Disaster.
“The declaration of a Local State of Disaster enables us, where necessary to access resources from the provincial and national spheres of government and accelerate supply chain management processes.”
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