ANC Statements

The African National Congress notes with concern the impending landfall of Cyclone Freddy in South Africa, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in particular. Whilst the most recent reports from the SA Weather Service suggest that the force of the cyclone is diminishing, regions such as Mopani and Vhembe are urged to remain on high-alert.

We call upon all citizens in the affected areas to exercise extreme caution and to follow the advice issued by disaster management centres. We convey our condolences and reassurances of solidarity to the government and people of Madagascar, who lost seven compatriots due to the devastation wreaked by the cyclone.

We also convey our solidarity and support to the government and people of Mozambique, led by our fraternal party Frelimo, as they confront the forces of nature unleashed by the cyclone.

We commend the ANC government for its systematic and proactive efforts to ensure that the impact of Cyclone Freddy on our people and economy is mitigated.

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), under the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, has activated the Joint Floods Coordination Committee.

All provinces have activated Disaster Management structures to be on maximum alert to ensure the safety of our people and to assist them in the event of a disaster.

We commend the co-operation across different spheres of government as disaster management teams from other provinces have been placed on high alert for immediate deployment to Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

We also commend the involvement of a range of non-governmental organisations such as Gift of the Givers, who continue to give practical expression to the maxims of ubuntu and active citizenship.

On Friday, 24 February 2023, the Secretary General of the ANC, Comrade Fikile Mbalula, convened an urgent meeting of the ANC Secretariat with the relevant provinces and deployees in government to

receive a briefing on preparations to mitigate the impact of the the cyclone and to ensure that ANC structures play an active role in assisting communities and government efforts.

The meeting called upon ANC deployees in all spheres of government, local government in particular, to play an active role through ward committees and local disaster management centres in identifying and communicating the needs of communities.

These combined efforts are an expression of the active citizenship and social compact required for our national to advance.

END

ISSUED BY THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

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