Eastern Cape floods: Death toll rises to 86, as Police Minister Senzo Mchunu visits affected areas
The death toll from recent floods in the Eastern Cape has risen to 86, as families continue to search for their loved ones.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu confirmed the revised death toll, up from 78 the previous day, in a meeting with officers and rescue personnel on Saturday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement sent to IOL.
More than 38 people have been rescued thus far, while search and rescue teams remain on the ground recovering additional bodies, SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
This comes as families continue to search morgues for loved ones who went missing during this week’s catastrophic weather events, which caused severe flooding to engulf parts of Mthatha and surrounding areas in the early hours of Tuesday morning, SABC News reported.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited some of the affected communities on Friday, where he expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families in the affected communities.
The president also visited the collapsed Efata Bridge in Mthata, where a taxi transporting school children was swept away, killing at least six learners as well as the driver and conductor, while others remain missing.
President @CyrilRamaphosa on an inspection on loco at the Efata Bridge in Mthata, where a bus scholar transport was tragically swept away due to the flooding impacted by severe weather conditions alongside members of the National Disaster Management Team coordinating the… pic.twitter.com/gOwji2vqPu
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 13, 2025
“This is a national tragedy that has deeply impacted our education sector. The reports of learners being caught in these devastating floods underscore the urgent need for robust disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, particularly as they relate to the safety and well-being of our children,” said Joy Maimela, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane told the SABC that local authorities struggled to launch an effective rescue effort as the province lacks resources. For instance, it only has one rescue helicopter, which had to fly in from Gqeberha, over 500 kilometers away.
The floods have caused extensive damage in the Mthatha and Butterworth areas, and are believed to have displaced nearly 10,000 people.
Charity organisation Gift of the Givers has deployed rescue personnel to affected areas in order to assist with the search for missing persons. It also deployed two water trucks to Butterworth, after its water supply was cut off following damage to the water treatment plant.
Gift of the Givers Project Manager, Ali Sablay said residents of informal settlements in the area had been given shelter in community halls as a temporary measure.
IOL