At Least 3 People Confirmed Dead While 40 Others Were Hospitalised Following Dam Burst in the Free State

• Several houses, cars and properties were swept away when a dam wall collapsed in the small town of Jagersfontein in the Free State
• More than 40 people reportedly sustained minor injuries and have been rushed to the hospital, while three people have been confirmed dead
• The residents have started a search and rescue mission to find four people who are reported to be missing

Free State - The Free State provincial government has activated the disaster management team after more than 40 people were injured and three others killed following a dam burst early Sunday morning.

Houses, vehicles and property worth millions of Rands were swept away when a dam wall burst in the mining town of Jagersfontein in the Free State.

According to TimesLIVE, more than 40 people, including a pregnant woman, sustained minor injuries and were rushed to the Diamant Hospital in Jagersfontein. Free State emergency medical services spokesperson Sipho Towa confirmed that there was a pregnant woman among those injured, but she is now stable. The statement said:

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"There is also a pregnant woman among them who is stable. We have also recovered three bodies so far."

News24 reports that Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela said the provincial government has activated the provincial disaster management team following the incident. Ntombela said:

"The provincial government has activated the disaster management team and the Joint Operation Centre to determine the extent of the disaster and also to carry out evacuation processes where necessary."

The Legal SA headed to Twitter to reveal that residents have launched a search and rescue campaign to look for four missing residents.

"Search & rescue operations to locate 4 missing persons are continuing at this hour in the mining town of Jagersfontein in the Free State. This comes after a mine dam bursts there, causing flooding. Houses have collapsed while a sea of mud & water flows into the town."

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Immigration officer sentenced to 4 years in prison for accepting R300 bribe at the Beitbridge Home Affairs

In other news, Briefly News also reported that Khuliso Ravele, a former immigration officer stationed at the Home Affairs office at the Beitbridge border, has been slapped with a four-year prison sentence for corruption.

The 36-year-old reportedly demanded R300 from a foreign national who wanted to get her passport stamped to extend her stay in South Africa in October 2017.

According to TimesLIVE, Hawks spokesperson Captain Matimba Maluleke said Ravele was nabbed when the foreign national was caught by the border police who were patrolling the area. The police then demanded to see the foreign national's passport.

Source: Briefly News