CAPE TOWN, June 8 (ANA) – Parliament on Thursday extended sympathies to the friends and family of people who lost their lives due to the severe weather conditions which have battered the Western Cape this week.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, on behalf of Parliament, also said Parliament’s thoughts were with those who had lost their homes during the storm which hit Cape Town and the fire which is raging in the southern Cape at present.
At least nine people have died in storm and fire-related incidents in the Western Cape over the past two days, while at least 250 homes have been destroyed in fires near Knysna.
In a statement, Mbete also commended the emergency and other services for their work in managing the difficult situation and providing support to those in need.
“In the face of this tragedy, we also extend a special word of appreciation to humanitarian efforts by individuals and organised formations who are coming out to assist those in distress in various ways,” she said. “We encourage all South Africans to lend a helping hand where they can.”
Parliament noted that it was mostly the “poorest sections of our society that usually bear the brunt of natural calamities, such as severe weather conditions, due to the conditions under which they live”.
“Government is, therefore, urged to intensify the delivery of quality services to tangibly improve the material conditions of our people to cushion them against such tragic conditions.”
– African News Agency (ANA)
