Eastern Cape June floods declared a national disaster

The Eastern Cape Province has officially been declared a national disaster zone in response to the widespread destruction caused by recent severe weather events.

Eastern Cape Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC, Zolile Williams said the declaration, made under the Disaster Management Act (Act No. 57 of 2002), comes amid heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds, and snowfall that have battered large parts of the country, with the Eastern Cape being the hardest hit.

Highlighting the provincial government response to the June disaster, Williams said the Department of Social Development, in partnership with private sector organisations, has extended crucial psychosocial support to displaced families, bereaved communities, and schools affected by the loss of learners.

“These services, which encompass counselling and emotional debriefing, are foundational to the healing and recovery process. Given the profound impact of the incident, we recognise this journey may be prolonged for those most deeply affected,” the MEC said.

The Department of Health has also deployed on-site healthcare services, providing medical assistance and replacing chronic medication that was swept away by the floods to those in need.

Ongoing assessments are also being conducted to assess health risks in temporary shelters.

Over 400 ID applications received

Williams also reported that the Department of Home Affairs has been active in various shelters across the Amathole and OR Tambo districts, assisting families with applications for essential documents, including Identity Documents (ID), birth and death certificates.

To date, 478 identity document replacement applications have been submitted, through assistance from three mobile units deployed in each of the two districts.

Local schools have resumed classes and provisions were made for learners who missed exams due to the disaster. Postponed examination papers were also written on 23 June 2025.

“Through the Department of Education, we have begun to deliver Learner and Teacher Support Material lost or destroyed during the disaster. We are also ensuring that uniform sets for learners in the flood affected schools has also resumed through the Provincial Department of Education.”

Restoration of basic services

Despite the devastation, significant progress has been made with the restoration of water and electricity in affected areas.

According to Williams, the electricity supply has been restored to over 80% of affected customers, with over 95% of the water supply having been restored in OR Tambo and Amathole District Municipalities, which were the most affected areas.

However, Williams noted that the floods caused significant damage to roads, schools, and healthcare facilities.

He said the costs of repairing damaged infrastructure is estimated at R5. 1 billion, and this include about R3. 2 billion required across sector departments and R 1. 8 billion for the Municipal Infrastructure, as per MISA [Municipal Infrastructure Support Management] assessments.

A total of 6 869 households were affected, with 4 724 people left homeless across the province, except for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, whilst 2 145 homes were partially damaged.

“R461 million is required for Temporary Residential Units (TRUs), however, the province has R120 million rand, and we are looking to national government for an intervention in this area,” Williams said.

Housing support and temporary shelters

The Department of Human Settlements, in partnership with OR Tambo District Municipality, has activated mass-care shelters, including community halls and bed-and-breakfast facilities for displaced families in OR Tambo and Mnquma.

Williams said these arrangements will be operational for at least 30 days.

“The Provincial Government is [also] securing land to facilitate the delivery of Temporary Residential Units and permanent housing, ensuring that our response addresses both urgent needs and long-term stability for these vulnerable communities.

“Currently, land has been identified in Mnquma for approximately 1 100 temporary residential units, while in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, land has been identified and we await a council resolution on the matter,” the MEC said.

The floods caused extensive damage to road infrastructure, with the total repair estimated at R935 million. The Department of Transport has reprioritised R102 million from its budget, leaving a shortfall of R832 million.

Emergency road clearance operations are underway, but 29 roads in Chris Hani and 22 in OR Tambo districts remain impassable. Internal teams began major repairs on 23 June 2025, and alternative routes are currently being used.

In terms of public facilities, 431 schools and 69 health centres have been affected across the province. suffered damage. Repair work to the value of R600 000 has been completed on healthcare facilities.

In the agricultural sector, interventions have been made in terms damage assessment, provision of veterinary services and technical advice.

“In the main, farmers have lost 1 339 units of livestock, 1 803 hectares of crops have been destroyed, suffered damages to machinery, irrigation material such as pipes and risers, water tanks and fencing materials,” Williams said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken out following his decision to remove Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield, from his position.

Whitfield’s removal – which was done in terms of section 93 (1) of the Constitution – was announced on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, President Ramaphosa said although it was not common practice for the President of the Republic of South Africa to provide reasons for either appointment or dismissals; “several unfortunate statements and outright distortions by a number of people” have made it necessary to do so.

“Mr Whitfield was removed as a Deputy Minister because he undertook an international visit without the permission of the President. His travel to the United States was a clear violation of the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive.

"This requirement is known to all Ministers and Deputy Ministers. These rules and established practices were expressly communicated to all members of the Executive during the induction sessions at the commencement of the 7th administration,” he said.

The President said the rules and practices “were repeated in Cabinet in March this year by me as President”.

“All international travel by members of the executive must always be undertaken with the express permission of the President. This practice is rigorously observed and adhered to by all members of the Executive. However, Mr Whitfield deliberately chose to violate this rule and practice,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President confirmed that prior to Whitfield’s removal, he spoke to Democratic Alliance (DA) and fellow Government of National Unity (GNU) party leader, John Steenhuisen about his removal and “I expect him to present to me for approval a replacement for Mr Whitfield from his party as the DA is entitled to a Deputy Minister as agreed”.

“In that discussion, Mr Steenhuisen informed me that Mr Whitfield had been expecting that he may be dismissed on the grounds that he had undertaken an international trip without the President’s permission.

“This expectation, along with a perfunctory letter of apology that Mr Whitfield wrote to me following his travel to the USA without the required permission, indicated that he was aware that his actions had violated the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive,” he said.

The President emphasised that previous Presidents had undertaken to remove ministers and deputy ministers before.

“During my discussion with Mr Steenhuisen, he asked me if there was precedent for the action that I intended to take in relation to Mr Whitfield. I informed him that there was indeed prior precedent.

“I told him that in 1995, President Nelson Mandela dismissed the late Deputy Minister Madikizela-Mandela and that in 2007 President Thabo Mbeki dismissed then Deputy Minister Nosizwe Madlala-Routledge on the grounds of undertaking international travel without permission.

“Given all these circumstances, there is consequently no reasonable grounds for Mr Steenhuisen and the Democratic Alliance to issue ultimatums and threats when the President exercises his constitutional prerogative and responsibility. Nor are there any grounds to try link this with matters that have no bearing on the conduct of the former Deputy Minister,” he said.

The President emphasised that there is “no basis” to suggest that the former Deputy Minister’s removal is “related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of members of the Executive”.

“While Mr Steenhuisen asked that he be allowed to brief the Democratic Alliance Federal Executive prior to the removal letter being delivered to Mr Whitfield, this would have had no bearing on my decision. It is the responsibility and the prerogative of the President to determine the timing and manner of the appointment and removal of Members of the Executive.

“I am amazed at Mr Steenhuisen’s intemperate reaction to the removal of Mr Whitfield. He knows very well that the blatant disregard of the rules and practices that govern the international travel of members of the executive is a serious violation that should not be permitted,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President reminded that it remains the Constitutional prerogative of the President to appoint or remove Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

“It is unprecedented in the history of our democracy that the exercise by the President of his constitutional prerogative and responsibility with respect to a clear violation of rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive has met with such irresponsible and unjustifiable threats and ultimatums from a member of the executive.

“Let it be clear that the President shall not yield to threats and ultimatums, especially coming from members of the Executive that he has the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa,” President Ramaphosa said.

Day: June 27, 2025

Eastern Cape June floods declared a national disaster

President Ramaphosa clarifies Deputy Minister’s removal