Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele will tomorrow (Monday, 30 January 2012) visit flood affected roads in the Mpumalanga Province.
The Minister will be accompanied by the CEO of the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) Mr Nazir Alli as well as other senior officials from the National Department of Transport.
On Saturday (28 January), Mpumalanga police reported three children drowned while crossing a river in Balfour on their way home from school. The river was swollen and fast flowing after recent heavy rains in the province. The police reported that a total of ten children - all girls - had drowned in the province in the last two weeks.
According to provincial officials, following storms and flooding between 16 and 19 January, five municipalities in the Ehlanzeni district of Mpumalanga have been declared disaster areas. They are Mbombela, Nkomazi, Umjindi, Thaba Chweu and Bushbuckridge.
Major infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, and agriculture installations were also damaged in the extreme weather. The cost to repair infrastructure was estimated at R445.7 million. Rebuilding roads and bridges would be the most expensive at an estimated cost of R266 million.
Media are invited to accompany Minister Ndebele. Journalists are requested to confirm attendance by no later than 10h00 tomorrow (30 January) by SNMS on 083 6444 050, and may meet the Minister and entourage at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport at 12h00 for 12h30 tomorrow.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
