South Africa

Eskom says it is remains cautiously optimistic that stage two load shedding will be lifted on Friday morning ahead of the Easter weekend.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the loss of life and damage to infrastructure that occurred during flooding in KwaZulu-Natal as a disaster of “enormous proportions”.

National Disaster Management Centre head, Dr Mmaphaka Tau, has classified this week’s KwaZulu-Natal floods as a provincial disaster.

Transnet National Ports Authority has rescued at least 80 people during the torrential flooding in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has cautioned faith-based communities to avoid water bodies during the coming Easter weekend.

President Ramaphosa has told the people of KwaZulu-Natal that government will intervene to help families affected by the floods.

The Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation says mitigation strategies must be put in place to avert the annual recurrence of disasters, as seen in KwaZulu-Natal.

Eskom Chief Executive, Andre de Ruyter, says the power utility will not be implementing stage two load shedding at the flood-hit eThekweni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.

More than 100 schools have been affected by flooding in KwaZulu-Natal.

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council has called for a state of disaster to be declared in the province, following heavy downpours that wreaked havoc in different parts of KZN.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that rain is expected to return to many provinces ahead of and during the coming Easter Weekend.

The Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner, Dr Nakampe Masiapato, is undertaking a two-day visit to the Lebombo Port of Entry in Mpumalanga to unpack the country’s Easter season’s plans.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this morning visit flood-stricken parts of KwaZulu-Natal to offer support to affected communities and assess the response of government and civil society to this “critical situation”.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says at least 1291 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Africa over the past 24 hours.

Further breakdowns at generation units at Eskom’s power stations have led to the power utility having to implement stage two load shedding from Wednesday until the early hours of Friday morning.