The community of Musina is still reeling from the past two weeks’ floods, which caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, and other infrastructure, including electricity.
A delegation from Musina Municipality, led by Mayor Cllr Nkhanedzeni Godfrey Mawela, visited flood-affected areas on Tuesday (20 January), joined by senior traditional leaders Thovhele Vho Tshifularo Muthige Makuya and Thovhele Vho Faranani Mutele.
According to the Musina Disaster Management Team, 95 houses were damaged in the area, 14 of which need replacement. Several villages, including Mbodi, Mutele B, Nkotswi, Tshikotoni, Gumela, Gumbu, Tshenzhelani, Doreen, and Sigonde, were cut off due to damaged roads and bridges.
Mayor Mawela said: “Our people were hard hit by these floods, but we are doing our best to give them the necessary support. The Musina Municipality Disaster Management Team is providing temporary shelters and food parcels for severely affected families. Psychosocial support, including counselling, is also being made available while assessments are ongoing. Referrals have been submitted to relevant departments and stakeholders for further assistance.”
He added that detailed damage and needs assessments will continue over the next few days to determine the full extent of the impact. “We will strengthen coordination with sister departments and stakeholders to ensure timely support and resource mobilisation. Other measures include clearing drainage systems, identifying flood-prone areas, and enhancing early warning systems and community awareness to reduce future flood risks.”