Durban - President Cyril Ramaphosa says that government will provide financial support to the areas in Durban and its surrounding towns ravaged by flooding.
Ramaphosa had to cut his state visit to Egypt short and jet into the country on Wednesday morning to attend to the various scenes around Durban where a trail of destruction was left by the floods.
Ramaphosa and senior government leaders, including Cogta Minister Zweli Mkhize, Police Minister Bheki Cele, KZN Acting Premier Sihle Zikalala, Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube and eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede, are crisscrossing Durban and its surrounding areas areas to assess damaged caused by the heavy rains and flooding that hit the province.
Speaking on his visit to Amanzimtoti on Wednesday morning where the heavy rains and flooding tore down two properties on Monday evening, Ramaphosa said: "I immediately contacted our Treasury to ask 'do we have money to assist our people?' and they said 'President we have the money'. So money is going to be mobilised to assist our people."
"These are emergency situations that we budget for, so resources will be mobilised in the biggest way so that our people who are currently in need are assisted. It will take time but the South African government in all its levels will be there to give assistance," Ramaphosa says.
Video: Samkelo Mtshali
Video: Samkelo Mtshali
He says that government departments were working around the clock to provide as much assistance and shelter as possible to the more than 1000 people that have been displaced by the trail of destruction left by the disaster.
"I'm very pleased that our teams, our units, have come to the rescue of a number of people whose lives have been saved," says Ramaphosa.