The Eastern Cape government says it will send an SOS appeal to President Jacob Zuma to declare a special disaster fund for the flood-ravaged province.
Local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane and transport MEC Thandiswa Marawu said in a joint statement late on Tuesday that they were still assessing the extent of the flood damage.
A report on the damage will then be sent to the national departments of co-operative governance and traditional affairs and the Treasury, prior to it being sent to President Zuma's office.
Construction of a temporary bypass on the N2, between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown, is expected to start on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Zanoxolo Wayile announced infrastructure damage estimates for the Metro alone at R600m.
This did not include the cost of damage to private residences.
Wayile said his office would also be asking National Government to declare the Metro a disaster area in order to access disaster funding.
"The impact on the municipal budget will be quite devastating because we have not set aside a budget for the disaster.The municipality attends to approach the national government to declare a local state of disaster in order to access the funding" Wayile said.
- ALGOA FM
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