Six people have been reported missing following heavy rains and subsequent flooding at Coffee Bay in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape.  The missing include a woman and her two children. Three others have drowned.

OR Tambo District Municipal Spokesperson Zimkhita Macingwane says their officials and community members have embarked on a search for the missing people.

“A joint effort between officials and members of the community ensued on Saturday to search for their bodies but it had to be called off when it started to become dark and the search will continue on Sunday morning. The heavy rains that have started pouring since last week have caused damage in various parts of the district. All the local municipalities have pockets of incidents where the road infrastructure, homes and also schools were affected.”

Komani residents refuse to leave their homes

Meanwhile, the Chris Hani Municipality says residents of the town of Komani are refusing to leave their homes.

The town is flooded following heavy rains. A woman died after flood waters swept her away. The municipality has been dealing with floods that have left over a thousand people displaced in Komani.

In the video below, Komani hit by more floods:  

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Local Economic Development, Sibongile Mbotshane says, “People are refusing to leave their homes to remember the fears that they have they might not come back again and they are there illegally. People are refusing to leave their homes remember the fears that they have they might not come back again and they are there illegally part of the problems we are faced with is also the drainage system in town the water that is coming from Bonkolo dam is coming straight to town and we do not have a proper drainage system that is able to contain that water and we divert to rivers where it damages our communities.”