Thaba Chweu Municipality
29 July 2007
The Mpumalanga Department of Local Government and Housing MEC, Candith
Mashego-Dlamini has visited some areas that have been affected by the veld
fires that ravaged some parts of the Thaba Chweu Municipality. MEC
Mashego-Dlamini who was accompanied by the Executive Mayor of Thaba Chweu,
Councillor C Ndlovu, visited Graskop and Pilgrim's Rest. The aim of the visit
was to conduct an assessment of the damage caused by the fires.
The fires have caused damage to Plantation Forests, residential houses,
shacks, a school and the Graskop police station. Two saw mills and a mine were
also damaged in the areas. No injuries or fatalities have been confirmed yet,
as a result of the fires, pending further investigations.
Fires were also reported in Mbombela, Bushbuckridge and Mkhondo
municipalities, but all the fires have been brought under control. Disaster
management teams from the province and the affected district and local
municipalities have been deployed to these areas and are monitoring the
situation. The Department of Social Services has also deployed officials to
conduct an assessment of the damage.
Motorists driving through Graskop, Sabie, Pilgrim's Rest and Lydenburg are
requested to be extremely cautious as there is still some smoke in those
areas.
Residents of the province are also requested to be on full alert for
possible fires in their areas due to the dry conditions and winds blowing in
some parts of the province.
Contact person:
Simphiwe Kunene
Cell: 082 413 3931
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government
29 July 2007
