Bushbuckridge counting losses following extensive flooding

The persistent heavy rains have left severe damage to infrastructure in most villages within the Bushbuckridge local municipality in Mpumalanga.

According to reports, there has been severe damage to water infrastructure, drainage systems and most of the gravel roads washed away which makes it difficult for residents to access public transport and facilities such as clinics, home affairs and police stations.

Bushbuckridge Local Municipality spokesperson Fhumulani Thovhakale says plans to fix infrastructure damage caused by the heavy rains are under way.

“We have already gathered more but not entirely all the information regarding badly damaged streets, covered bridges and houses that have collapsed and on issues of how much we are going to spend. We do not have that figure as yet because we are still busy with quantifying on how much is the damage on the infrastructure that I have mentioned, the houses that have clasped, bridges, and the streets within the area of Bushbuckridge Local Municipality and also what one can say is that we going to also rope in the other departments, like the Department of Public Works Roads and Transport that deals mainly with roads and bridges and also Department of Human Settlement that assists municipalities.”

UPDATE | Infrastructure damage due to heavy rains in Mpumalanga: Nhlanhla Jele reports