North West premier sends condolences
2012-12-12 21:49
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Johannesburg - North West Premier Thandi Modise sent
condolences on Wednesday to those who lost family and property due to
torrential rains around the Mahikeng area, her office said.
"The provincial disaster management centre is
monitoring the situation and supporting the district disaster management
centres in co-ordinating emergency relief efforts," said spokesperson
Lesiba Moses Kgwele.
"The department of human settlements has been
activated to conduct assessments of damaged infrastructure."
Three people have died in the area since Monday due to
the adverse weather.
Kgwele said the SA Social Security Agency was also on
standby to provide emergency food grants to affected households once assessment
was completed.
The third person was reported dead in torrential
rainfall, North West police said on Wednesday.
An 80-year-old woman was found dead on Tuesday afternoon,
beneath a tree between Rantse and Marotse village, said police spokesperson
Lesego Metsi.
Mosebi Lenah Motsemme was walking home after visiting her
daughter in another village.
"Due to heavy rainfall she lost direction and
decided to seek shelter under a tree," Metsi said.
When she did not return home, her son went looking for
her and found her beneath the tree, dead.
Two people were found dead in Madibogo South on Tuesday
night, Metsi said.
The first death was a 22-year-old man, who was caught in
heavy rain while walking home. His aunt said he coughed the entire night and
was unable to walk or talk before dying.
The second was a 52-year-old man who was found dead in a
field used for grazing animals.
"It is suspected that he could have been struck by
lightning while looking for his cattle when caught up in the heavy rains on his
way back."
The Motsitlane, Dikgatlhong, and Lenganeng sections of
Madibogo village have been hit by heavy storms this week.
Metsi said one house had been destroyed, a tavern and
several other houses had been damaged, and several families had been left
homeless. The damage was estimated at R80 000.
He said the house that was destroyed had belonged to the
family of Selina Tsubane, 40, who lived there with her three children and two
nieces. She survived on child support grants.
- SAPA
