Many households remain without adequate shelter despite government promises of temporary residential units following severe weather that caused widespread structural damage across multiple municipalities.
Nearly three weeks after heavy rains and hailstorms battered the North West province, families in affected areas are still waiting for promised assistance while living in collapsed homes or seeking alternative accommodation.
The severe weather caused extensive structural damage in the Mahikeng, Tswaing, Greater Taung, Rustenburg, Ramotshere Moiloa and City of Matlosana municipalities, with homes suffering collapsed roofs, damaged walls and shattered windows.
In the village of Konotuan, within the Ramotshere Moiloa municipality, one resident and her two sons have been living in a home where the entire roofing structure has collapsed. The family’s walls have given way, and all their valuables and furniture have been lost.
Speaking to SABC News, the woman explained her predicament, saying she has been promised assistance through temporary residential units. However, she is seeking a more permanent solution than a temporary one. She has appealed through local authorities for an RDP house, expressing her desire not to be forced to spend the rest of her family life in a temporary residential unit.
The infrastructure damage across the Greater Taung municipality has also been significant. The N14 between Vryburg and Kuruman remains substantially flooded and closed, with alternative routes now being used for commuting between the two towns.
At one severely damaged home in Mahikeng, exposed electrical wiring poses a significant safety threat to anyone attempting to enter the structure. The resident has had to seek alternative accommodation as the house remains uninhabitable.
Disaster management in the province has been unable to provide a clear timeline for when the needs of affected communities will be addressed, with the impact described as far-reaching across multiple villages.
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