Emergency services are working around to clock after a dam wall collapsed in Jagersfontein, Free State, in the early hours of Sunday morning, with Gift of the Givers now arriving to administer relief efforts to assist the residents of the town with water and food supply.
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Catastrophe of epic proportions has followed after the wall of an abandoned diamond mine – previously belonging to De Beers – caved in, causing a flash flood that killed three people, damaged residential properties, cut off all electricity supply to the town and rendered cellphone towers nonoperational.
At present, floodwaters and mud has cut off Eskom’s access to a key electrical substation.
Local humanitarian group, Gift of the Givers has confirmed that teams from five of their facilities were responding with assistance.
They reported that the area of Charlesville appears to be most affected with the sudden collapse of a mining dam wall in Jagersfontein pouring out thousands of litres of sludge.
The organisation – which currently has emergency workers at the scene – said that Jagersfontein is developing into a monumental crisis, affecting man, animal, fish and the environment, and that fodder, antibiotics for sheep and bottled water are urgent necessities.
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The organisation confirmed it had received requests for assistance from Premier Sefora Ntombela, the SAPS through Warrant Officer Norte, the farming community and local community members.
The heads of the Free State Disaster Management Markus Butler and Justin Colbert are Gift of the Givers Search and Rescue team members.
Founder Imtiaz Sooliman, said: “We will be getting updates directly from them once the network is functional. Arrangements will be made to provide fodder for the sheep.”
Water bottles from Body Fuel in Graaf Reinet have been loaded onto the Gift of the Givers trucks and are enroute to the victims, as well as Eezee peanut paste coming in from Bethlehem.
Checkers from Bethlehem has also come in with water bottles to send to the victims. Other supplies such as mattresses, from the Gift of the Givers warehouses in East London were also enroute.
There were also supplies from the Cape Town Gift of the Givers warehouse being sent to Jagersfontein
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A local church has opened its doors for shelter and accommodation.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is also expected to visit the communities of the Jagersfontein-Charlesville area in the Free State later today.
