Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared seven days of national mourning for those killed in the floods that left a trail of destruction in the country.
Ramaphosa has instructed that the national flag fly at half-mast at every station in the country from 1 to 7 May 2019 in their honour.
"President Ramaphosa has visited flood-stricken communities and assured residents that all spheres of government will assist communities in rescue and recovery efforts. The President has also welcomed the wealth of material and social support extended to affected communities by various sectors of society," said the Presidency in a statement.
"The President has expressed the profound appreciation of the government and people of South Africa for the messages of support received from governments around the world in relation to the recent floods."
Floods have caused damage to infrastructure and property and resulted in loss of lives across KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. According to KZN premier Willies Mchunu, the death toll in KwaZulu-Natal stands at 70.
The estimated cost of infrastructural damage in KwaZulu-Natal from the recent floods is expected to be R1.1billion.