Western Cape Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Gerrit van Rensburg wants Laingsburg to be declared a disaster zone.

The area suffered flood damage estimated at R500 million. Infrastructure in the area has been severely damaged. Laingsburg mayor Wilhelm Theron estimates the damage to roads and other municipal infrastructure at approximately R20 million.

“I use the word disaster because that is exactly what I am seeing,” said Van Rensburg. Several roads are inaccessible, and a section of the N1 freeway and a bridge was damaged. Drinking water has also been affected due to a dam being damaged.

The application to declare the area a disaster zone will go to the Western Cape Disaster Risk Management Centre and then to provincial and national authorities.