News / Africa
SA borders closed after floods
18 Mar 2014 at 02:51hrs | Views
JOHANNESBURG - Three border gates between South Africa and Botswana remain closed due to flooding. They were closed last week after the Limpopo River overflowed.
Home Affairs spokesperson Sam Moremi has advised travellers to use the Kopfontein border post, or go through Beitbridge and access Botswana via Zimbabwe.
"Our three ports of entry namely Groblersbrug Zanzibar and Platjan are temporarily suspended as a result of the floods that have occurred across the country and as soon as the situation is normal all these ports will be opened, the status quo still remains."
Meanwhile, the Lephalale municipality in Limpopo has increased the number of flood evacuation centres to four. Three are at the Thabo Mbeki RDP settlement near Ga-Seleka, while the other one is in town.
Municipal spokesperson Victor Monyepao says over 2 400 flood victims are being kept at the centres. Some of them are construction workers working at the Medupi Eskom project. They were housed near the flooded Mogul River. Monyepao says part the Thabo Mbeki RDP settlement near the Lephalale River is still under water.
"Currently, we are talking about 2 400 people who are displaced and most of them are in town, they are employees who were staying at the lodges alongside the Mogul River. We have taken them to the evacuation centre at the Mogul club. The situation is not getting any better or any worse," Monyepao add.
Home Affairs spokesperson Sam Moremi has advised travellers to use the Kopfontein border post, or go through Beitbridge and access Botswana via Zimbabwe.
"Our three ports of entry namely Groblersbrug Zanzibar and Platjan are temporarily suspended as a result of the floods that have occurred across the country and as soon as the situation is normal all these ports will be opened, the status quo still remains."
Meanwhile, the Lephalale municipality in Limpopo has increased the number of flood evacuation centres to four. Three are at the Thabo Mbeki RDP settlement near Ga-Seleka, while the other one is in town.
Municipal spokesperson Victor Monyepao says over 2 400 flood victims are being kept at the centres. Some of them are construction workers working at the Medupi Eskom project. They were housed near the flooded Mogul River. Monyepao says part the Thabo Mbeki RDP settlement near the Lephalale River is still under water.
"Currently, we are talking about 2 400 people who are displaced and most of them are in town, they are employees who were staying at the lodges alongside the Mogul River. We have taken them to the evacuation centre at the Mogul club. The situation is not getting any better or any worse," Monyepao add.
Source - SABC
