UNgqongqoshe wezokuThutha uNksz Barbara Creecy udalule ukuthi bangu-512 abantu asebelahlekelwe izimpilo zabo emigwaqeni yaseNingizimu Afrika kusukela kuqale uDisemba.
Ekhuluma esithangamini nabezindaba eWestern Cape ngoLwesine, uCreecy uzwakalise ukukhathazeka ngokwanda kwezingozi nokufa kwabantu ngesikhathi samaholidi kaKhisimusi.
“Zinyukile izingozi kwande nabashonayo,” kusho uCreecy. Ubike ukuthi izingozi ezimbi zinyuke ngo-3%, kanti zingu-426 izingozi ezashona kusukela mhla lu-1 kuZibandlela. Abahamba ngezinyawo babalelwa ku-45% abantu abashonile, okugqamisa ubungozi obuqhubekayo abasebenzisi bomgwaqo abasengozini.
Ngaphezu kokubhekana nesibalo sabashonile, uCreecy waphawula ukuthi bangaphezu kuka-3,000 abantu ababoshiwe ngesikhathi kunezivimbamgwaqo ezweni lonke. “Sisakhathazekile ngesibalo esiphezulu sabantu kulaba abangu-3,000 esibahoxile ngenxa yokushayela bephuzile. Ingxenye yesithathu yalaba ababoshiwe ngeyokushayela bephuzile,” engeza.
Lesi sithangami sigcizelela isidingo esiphuthumayo sokuqiniswa kwezinyathelo zokuphepha emgwaqeni njengoba kuqhubeka isikhathi samaholidi.