Limpopo takes stock of deadly floods; with more rain predicted for the province

As Limpopo enters a fifth day of heavy rainfall and flooding, the province has begun counting the cost of the destruction.

On Thursday, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) upgraded its warning for parts of the province to a red level 10, which is the highest alert in the country, warning of extreme rainfall with a real risk to life.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has since joined provincial leaders on the ground, visiting Mbaula village outside Giyani, one of the areas hardest hit by the floods.

WATCH: '36 houses have been wiped away' - says Cyril Ramaphosa in Mbawula Village

Accompanied by Premier Poppi Ramathuba, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshaveni and other senior officials, the president conducted a brief walkabout through the village, seeing firsthand the damage left by days of relentless rain.

Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the family of a five-year-old boy who died during the flooding, while assuring community members that the government is working to provide assistance.

“We are collating all the information on people who either have gone missing or passed away. So, all that is being collated.”

After spending just over 15 minutes in the area, the president departed by helicopter as rain clouds continued to build, while displaced residents remained behind, facing an uncertain road to recovery.

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