The National Joint Operational Centre (NATJOC) established a joint committee comprising of senior officials inclusive of SAPS, SA Weather Service, Disaster Management, SA National Defence Force and Departments, including Health, to monitor and assess progress of the weather system on the east coast, and manage any contingencies which may arise.
Joint Provincial structures, comprising Provincial Disaster Management Centres and the PROVJOINTS, which represent all relevant role players, have been established and are monitoring the situation on the ground on a 24-hour basis, and are geared to direct resources to any areas affected by the system.
National capacities under the auspices of the NATJOINTS have been placed on standby to provide immediate relief in support of provinces, if required. While we have these mechanisms in place, the SA Weather Service has indicated, based on current projections, that the weather system is going to remain over open water between Maputo and Richards Bay, on the east coast, for the next 24 hours.
While the threat of further heavy rain is currently diminishing, the Weather Service still anticipates that a combination of very rough seas, marine storm surge, as well as gale-force winds are likely to threaten the aforementioned coastline for the same duration and we also urge that all commercial and recreation fisherman be alerted to this threat.
Enquiries:
Colonel Vishnu Naidoo
Cell: 082 567 4153
