Thohoyandou - Plans are underway to construct RDP houses for people who lost their dwellings in the recent Limpopo rain and flooding, officials said on Wednesday.
Two service providers had been appointed to start identifying beneficiaries and building the houses, Limpopo co-operative governance department spokeswoman Dieketseng Diale said.
“I don't know how much the value of the damage is, but I can say it's worth millions.”
Scores of houses, schools, bridges and roads were damaged or washed away during eight days of rain in the province. The hardest-hit districts had not yet been declared disaster zones.
On Wednesday afternoon the death toll stood at 10. Four others were still missing.
“The one person is from Thohoyandou, the other is from Giyani and two are children from Musina,” Diale said.
In the Vhembe and Mopani villages, emergency workers rescued 877 people. In Musina, 334 were rescued after being trapped at the Pontdrift border post.
Most of the affected had sought refuge with family members. Several farms, electricity and communication cables were destroyed in the rain.
In Makhado, officials had begun mopping-up operations.
Municipality spokesman Peter Muthambi said mayor David Mutavhatsindi had assigned a contractor to start rebuilding the destroyed bridges and roads.
Muthambi said R12 million had been set aside for the project, which would take several weeks to complete.
Meanwhile, the government congratulated disaster management teams, residents, and the SA National Defence Force for their help during the floods in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, which also experienced heavy rain at the weekend.
“We take our hats off to (them) for a job well done. These heroes and heroines have gone beyond the call of duty to ensure that the rescue operations are a success,” Government Communication and Information System acting CEO Phumla Williams said.
She sent her condolences to the relatives of those who had died and said she empathised with those who had lost their homes.
The ANC “regretted” the flood damage, and called for hasty action by officials.
“The Limpopo provincial government has a capacity to rescue every member of our society affected by this rainy conditions, thus they should immediately vaccinate for malaria and any other disease water can convey, make provisions for prevention of cholera, and provide quality temporary shelter both for residential and schooling,” Limpopo ANC spokesman Klaas Mabunda said.
He called on business owners and churches to help those affected. - Sapa