She adds that people who have erected illegal dwellings on the catchment of rivers must find alternative accommodation as they risk being flooded. She further says people swimming in the rivers during rain may put their lives at risk. Sisulu says officials are ready to open sluice gates to release water from the dams that are full to avoid any possible flooding. “Should this happen, people whose houses are below the flood line are exposed to the danger of being flooded,” she further adds.

Meanwhile, the South African Weather Services warns residents to note that more heavy rain is still expected across most parts of the country. 

The Senior Forecaster of the Bloemfontein Weather Services, Tonie Rossouw, told Leatile Leiee of OFM News of the expected rainfall in the eastern parts of the North West province. These reports follow after a disastrous couple of days in most parts of the country. Rossouw urges South Africans to stay away from rivers and keep safe on the roads for at least a day or two.

Marvin Ntsane reports that during this week only, the central parts of the country have had heavy rains resulting in floods. Residential areas, businesses, buildings and vehicles were hugely affected.

In the Gauteng province, two SANDF helicopters were dispatched on Monday for a rescue mission. At least 79 stranded people at the Centurion Lake Hotel were airlifted to places of safety and at least 700 shacks were destroyed at the informal settlements in Mamelodi.

In the North West province, the body of a man was recovered on Monday after his car was swept away by flash floods from a low-lying bridge on a tributary of the Crocodile River in Welgegund on the Glen Afriq Estate close to Hartbeespoort Dam.

In the Free State province, three young men were also rescued on Monday by the Emergency Medical Services helicopter after being trapped for over 24 hours in-between streams near Botshabelo.

OFM News/Marvin Ntsane and Leatile Leiee