President Cyril Ramaphosa is this afternoon visiting Nkomazi Local Municipality in Mpumalanga to assess the extent of the damage caused by the floods and the response of government.

The President will commence the visit in Mjejana, Nkomazi Local Municipality, after 14h00 this afternoon.

The National Disaster Management Centre officially classified the inclement weather -- which has ravaged Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the North West, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape -- as a national disaster, following loss of life, significant damage to infrastructure and property, environmental degradation, displacement of communities, disruption to schooling and agricultural activities, and closures in parts of the Kruger National Park.

The President has expressly shared that his thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, people who have been injured, and individuals, businesses and organisations who have lost property.

Furthermore, the President hailed first responders, volunteers and humanitarian organisations for their emphatic coordinated response to the devastation across affected provinces.

President Ramaphosa will monitor the state of the disaster response at flood affected areas at the Nkomazi Local Municipality, accompanied by Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu, senior government officials and representatives of the National Disaster Management Centre. - SAnews.gov.za