National state of disaster to be in place for at least three months, says Dlamini-Zuma

Dlamini-Zuma briefed the media on Tuesday following the announcement of a state of disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa the previous day.

READ: KZN floods: Ramaphosa announces national state of disaster

The flooding, which has hit KZN the hardest, has also affected parts of the Eastern Cape.

Dlamini-Zuma said government will in make a decision to terminate or extend, the state of disaster after the initial period of three months.

"This can be up to three months and if it needs to be terminated early, it can be terminated early. But it also allows for an extension if there is a need for it.

"So the initial period will be three months and then an assessment will be made whether it's extended or not." 

The storms and subsequent flooding in KZN have so far claimed the lives of more than 430 people and left some 40 000 displaced. 

ALSO READ: KZN floods: 'No room for corruption' of relief funds - Ramaphosa

At least 60 people are missing or unaccounted for.

Dlamini-Zuma says government has already begun its assessment of the extent of the disaster. 

"The province of KZN has made some estimates, but I don't want to pronounce on those estimates right now because the teams were going to do the quantification and costing. So the definitive costing will be after all that is done."