Communities in southeastern South Africa are grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods that have claimed at least 78 lives, with fears that the toll may rise as search operations continue. The town of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape province has emerged as the worst-hit area, drawing the personal attention of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who visited the region on Thursday.
The president met with local disaster management teams and surveyed the damage at several sites, including the tragic location where a school bus was swept away by raging floodwaters, killing six students, the bus driver, and another adult. Four other students who were on the bus remain missing, prompting an urgent search by rescue crews.
The floods, triggered by days of relentless rain, have left parts of the Eastern Cape submerged, displacing thousands and destroying infrastructure. The unfolding disaster has exposed the vulnerability of the region’s emergency response system. Criticism is mounting over what some see as a slow and insufficient government reaction, especially in poorer rural communities where access to rescue helicopters, boats, and emergency personnel is limited.
President Ramaphosa defended the government’s efforts, saying that despite the tragic losses, the swift actions of local authorities prevented an even greater catastrophe. “The scale of destruction could have been much worse if not for the heroic work of first responders and community volunteers,” he stated.
As the floodwaters slowly recede, exhausted rescue teams continue searching for the missing, while relief agencies race to provide food, shelter, and medical aid to displaced families. The South African Weather Service has warned that more rain could complicate recovery operations in the coming days.
For now, communities in Eastern Cape face the long and painful road to recovery—rebuilding homes, reopening schools, and healing from the human and emotional toll left by one of the region’s worst natural disasters in recent memory.