Four individuals have tragically lost their lives in recent flooding that struck the Buffelsrivier community in the Northern Cape. Local authorities believe that these victims are part of a group of five people reported missing in the area, located 43 kilometers west of Springbok.
Efforts are underway to locate the fifth missing person as heavy rain and flooding damaged the main access road connecting the town to Springbok. The Namakhoi Municipality has assessed the damage to the road infrastructure, which is estimated to cost around R110 million.
As the community faces challenges accessing food and medicine, flood relief efforts, including the provision of food parcels and medical supplies, are being coordinated by municipal officials and humanitarian organizations such as Gift of the Givers.
Jason Milford, the spokesperson for the Namakhoi Municipality, expressed concern about the impact of the flooding on Buffelsrivier residents. He mentioned that three of the victims are foreign nationals, and efforts are underway to determine their identities.
The local authorities are working tirelessly to gather more information and notify the affected families. Among the deceased is Jowin Nero, a 35-year-old former policeman from Buffelsrivier. In response to the crisis, the South African Police Service has deployed a helicopter to provide crucial support, facilitating the swift delivery of essential goods to Buffelsrivier and neighboring communities like Komaggas and Kleinsee.