More than 700 residents in the Nelson Mandela Bay area have been evacuated and accommodated at the Lithembaletu Community Hall on Thursday, 4 June 2026, due to localised flooding ruining their homes and belongings.
Meanwhile, schools in flood-prone areas that were closed during the midweek storm have officially reopened on Friday, 5 June 2026.
700 Residents Evacuated
As wet conditions continue along the coastal areas, residents in the Eastern and Western Cape have had to take precautions to protect themselves from severe weather that disrupts daily life.
This comes after more than 21 wards across the Metro have been affected by flooding, waterlogging, and stormwater-related incidents, as well as infrastructure damage from severe weather.
Around 700 residents have been temporarily housed in the community hall after persistent rains flooded their yards and homes.
Several communities have experienced flooding and related impacts, including Missionvale, Kariega, Jubilee Park, Bayland, Qunu, Chatty, Veeplaas, KwaNoxolo, Motherwell, Walmer, Walmer Location, New Brighton, Grogro, Asinavalo Kamvelihle and Emthini Informal Settlement.
84 incidents
At least 84 incidents have been reported to date, including flooded homes, flooded streets, power outages, stormwater challenges, road closures and other weather-related emergencies.
Municipal teams remain deployed throughout affected communities to provide assistance and conduct ongoing impact and needs assessments. No fatalities or injuries have been reported.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has activated around six temporary shelters across the Metro to accommodate residents displaced by flooding, where humanitarian support is being provided. This support includes blankets, mattresses, food parcels and hot meals, with assistance from municipal teams and non-governmental organisations.
The activated shelters are located in Walmer, Asinavalo Kamvelihle, Grogro KwaLanga, Bayland, Qunu and Airport Valley.
Housing Challenges
In a video posted by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the Ward 40 Executive Mayor, Councillor Babalwa Lobishe, said that residents who sought shelter during the rainfall do not have formal house structures.
“We are now here at Fairview in Ward 40, an area that is a farm area, and all these residents have no formal structures, but they are faced with this condition of water coming into the houses.”
She added that the city has identified and prepared 23 housing sites, with seven that are actively housing those who have been evacuated.
“Because the majority of the people, their structures are not in a dire condition, but it’s just that water has come in,” Babalwa said.
Back to school
On Wednesday, 3 June 2026, the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape announced that alternative arrangements had been made for schools that missed writing the June exams.
Specifically, the writing of Accounting Paper 1 and Economics Paper 1 (3 to 4 June 2026).
The timetable, in the form of Assessment Instruction 13 of 2026, was issued to schools for implementation on the stipulated dates from 1 June to 23 June 2026.
However, as a result of unexpected severe weather conditions affecting the writing of these examinations, the department has requested that schools that could not write mid-year examination papers on a subject must report to the District Office in writing. And give details on how their examination timetable was negatively affected by the inclement weather.
‘No backup papers’
The Head of Department, Sharon Maasdorp, has asserted that there will be no “back-up” provincial common examination question papers that will be provided in cases where a paper could not be written due to the weather.
District subject advisors are to provide guidance on alternative writing dates for the exam papers that were not completed.
“The alternative dates will be communicated to affected schools once all arrangements have been finalised by the District curriculum specialists, in consultation with principals and subject teachers at the affected schools,” Maasdorp concluded.
