Eastern Cape Floods Death Toll Rises to 86; Cyril Ramaphosa Calls for a Day of Mourning

• The devastating floods in the Eastern Cape have claimed 85 lives and the death toll increases with each passing day
• Mthatha was the worst-hit area in the province, as search and rescue operations continue to find those who are missing
• President Cyril Ramaphosa called for a day of remembrance for those who died in the floods

For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, a journalist at Briefly News in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

EASTERN CAPE — The death toll of those who died in the Eastern Cape floods has risen to 86 as more people are reported missing and emergency services continue the frantic search to rescue them.

Death toll rises to 86

According to eNCA, 86 people were reported dead from the devastating floods which began on 9 June 2025. The severe weather patterns came after the South African Weather Service issued several Orange Level 6 warnings for the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Although no deaths were reported in KZN, the death toll in the Eastern Cape has mounted.

Cyril Ramaphosa calls for day of mourning

Ramaphosa visited Mthatha on 13 June 2025 and said that a day to remember those who died in the floods must be declared. He also said that the government will do everything in its power to help those who survived and were affected by the recent floods.

The president applauded the efforts of the national, provincial, and local government departments for their responsiveness in helping those affected by the floods. He said their responsiveness is the government's capacity to respond to natural disasters. The government also declared the floods a natural disaster.

What you need to know about the Eastern Cape floods

The Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, said the death toll on 11 June was at 49 people, and added that the province does not have sufficient resources to respond to emergencies

• The Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, said the government vowed to assist the growing crisis brought on by the Eastern Cape floods and assist those affected
• The death toll rose to 67 on 12 June, and the government declared the floods a national disaster
• Radio personality Anele Mdoda was devastated by the loss of Eastern Cape residents as the death toll rose to 78
• President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the areas in the Eastern Cape that were affected the most by the floods and offered his condolences

Snowfall in the Eastern Cape stuns South Africans

In a related article, Briefly News reported that South Africans were stunned when snow fell in the Eastern Cape. The South African Weather Service had predicted the snow that fell during the early week of June.

South Africans shared pictures and videos of picturesque scenes, including snow-covered rooftops and fields, on social media. Some commented that the Drakensberg region experienced snow. Some residents of Gauteng were unhappy that the province did not experience snow.

"So beautiful. It's not fair to the province of Gauteng. We only get cold. We too want snow," a netizen said.

Source: Briefly News