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Hundreds of Eastern Cape residents were left displaced after torrential rain flooded homes and left informal settlements under water as a powerful cut-off low weather system swept across the Eastern Cape.
More than 200 Buffalo City residents sought emergency assistance on Thursday.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, floodwaters affected 21 wards and forced hundreds of residents from their homes.
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said 84 weather-related incidents had been recorded across the metro, including flooded streets, sewer and stormwater blockages, power outages and dam overflows.
Lobishe said 671 people had been accommodated in eight emergency shelters while eight roads had been closed because of flooding.
The South African Weather Service earlier this week issued an Orange Level 8 warning for disruptive rainfall, warning that vulnerable areas could face flooding as the weather system moved across the country.
Buffalo City Metro’s informal settlements were among those hardest hit.
By 9am on Thursday, 91 residents had gathered at Nompumelelo Community Hall near Beacon Bay seeking assistance from the metro’s disaster management teams.
By midday, that number had risen to 120 as more victims arrived after homes were flooded, furniture damaged and shacks made unstable during overnight downpours.
Among them was Unathi Sobantu, 33, whose shack was destroyed by fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Sobantu said he woke to find smoke filling the structure and used floodwater from outside to try to save his belongings.
“I was asleep and I could remember that the candle was still alright.
“I jumped as soon as I could smell the smoke. I went out of the shack.
“The whole place was flooded because it was raining heavily, but I managed to take a bucket and pour some water on the fire. The rain assisted,” he said.
When Buffalo City public safety political head Noma-Afrika Maxongo visited the area, Sobantu was sorting through the remains of his belongings alongside his sister.
He said he had learnt a painful lesson from a fire that destroyed a neighbouring shack in 2025.
“After a fire last year, I took some of my important documents to a relative’s house.
“I still have my ID with me. Luckily, my sister was not home when it happened,” he said.
Maxongo, accompanied by officials from the human settlements department and disaster management unit, visited affected areas to assess damage and identify residents in need of urgent assistance.
Later in the day, officials moved to the Ziphunzana area of Duncan Village, where nearly 100 residents had also registered for assistance.
The worst-affected residents were from the Ntilini informal settlement in Ziphunzana Site C.
Residents said homes flooded after a stream flowing into the nearby river overflowed.
One resident said he returned home from a night shift to find floodwaters waist-high.
“I could see the neighbours removing their beds. I opened my door and the water had submerged the appliances and my bed,” he said.
Another resident said floodwaters damaged clothing and household goods.
“We dug a trench for water to pass through but it doesn’t help. Hopefully it won’t be bad tonight.”
Ward councillor and waste services political head Clara Yekiso-Morolong said the area had a long history of flooding.
She said residents had previously been relocated from the area but many later returned.
“In 2013, three people died in the same area after heavy rainfall swept through the informal settlement,” she said.
Some residents were subsequently relocated to housing developments in Reeston.
Maxongo said disaster teams remained concerned as rain was expected to continue into Friday.
“We want to assess all the damage and help those we can.
“At the moment we’re working to get all the severe cases, people who by midnight will not have a place to sleep.
“We are working with our teams and the department of human settlements where we will do verification of these lists.
“Some of the data that will be collected here will be taken to Sassa, which will assist with relief packages,” she said.
The severe weather also affected transport infrastructure.
Provincial transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said heavy rain had placed significant strain on the road network, resulting in flooding, rockfalls and road closures.
The R102 between Gqeberha and Jeffreys Bay was closed because of rockfalls, while the R332 into the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve was shut following flooding.
“With soils heavily saturated, there are legitimate concerns about further rockfalls, mudslides and slope failures.
“Driving conditions remain less than ideal, with wet and slippery road surfaces, standing water and poor visibility,” Binqose said.
The South African Weather Service also issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging waves along parts of the Eastern Cape coastline.
The warning, valid until Friday afternoon, covers coastal areas between Plettenberg Bay and KuGompo City.
SAWS said a deep low-pressure system had generated swells of up to 5.5m, creating dangerous sea conditions and raising the risk of localised storm surges, coastal flooding and damage to infrastructure.
The weather service warned of possible disruption to small harbours and ports, dangerous navigation conditions and risks to vessels operating at sea.
Beachgoers, fishermen and maritime operators were urged to exercise extreme caution.
The Makana municipality activated its Joint Operations Committee as emergency teams responded to reports of flooded roads and damaged homes.
Municipal spokesperson Anele Mjekula said officials had been on the ground since Wednesday night assisting affected residents.
“The municipality is working diligently to ensure that all relevant municipal teams respond effectively and efficiently to any incidents or challenges,” he said.
In Ndlambe, municipal officials reported significant damage to roads, power infrastructure and river crossings.
The municipality said preliminary reports indicated widespread damage to roads, while power outages were reported in parts of Alexandria after power lines came down.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s office urged residents to remain vigilant as emergency services continued to respond to weather-related incidents across the province.
Provincial safety officials told the Dispatch they were still waiting for reports from all districts to tally up the costs of the storms and how many had been left displaced.
Residents were urged to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert to further weather warnings as forecasters indicated severe conditions could persist into Friday. — additional reporting by The Herald
Daily Dispatch
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