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South African soldiers providing humanitarian relief aid to flood-ravaged Mozambique have helped save thousands of lives. The 70 soldiers deployed to that country over the past four weeks ensured that more than 2.4 million litres of purified water was distributed to 120 000 people displaced by the flood waters.

The floods caused by heavy rainfall in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Angola and Malawi saw the Mozambican authorities being forced to open the sluice gates of the Cahora Basa Dam flooding the low lying areas along the Zambezi River.

According to the Mozambican Disaster Management Services (INGC), the volume of water released from the Cahora Basa Dam was greater than that which caused the devastating floods of 2000.

Stationed in tented bases in the Mozambican province of Caia, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) troops worked flat out with the Red Cross, United Nations Humanitarian Air Services and Mozambican authorities to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Using specialised water purifying stations, SANDF engineers purified 100 000 litres of water a day, said operational commander Colonel Ronnie Jonsson.

“This water,” said Jonsson, “along with food and other relief supplies were distributed by the South African Air Force to more than 20 displacement camps scattered around the country.”

One of the primary focuses of the operation was to distribute fresh water and food as quickly as possible to those in need.

“Because most roads and other transport infrastructure were badly affected by the flooding, helicopters were needed to land in the inaccessible areas,” he said.

The two Oryx helicopters, Augusta helicopter and Casa 212 transport aeroplane had flown nearly 350 hours delivering desperately needed supplies.

Jonsson said that the aircraft had delivered 523.5 metric tons of food along with 2.41 million litres of purified water to displaced people in resettlement camps.

The relief work will be continued until next week, he said, when they would cease with the operation and hand over the remaining logistical work to the United Nations World Food Programme.

Rod Penhall, UN Humanitarian Air Services chief air transport officer, said the SANDF and the SAAF had provided a major capacity to the relief operation.

“If it had not been for those deployed from South Africa, providing relief aid to those displaced by the floods would have been extremely difficult,” he said.

Combing of the different organisations assets had ensured that the aid had been delivered quickly and effectively, he added.

Penhall, who praised the SANDF and SAAF for their well co-ordinated effort, said relief support from the UN would continue until all the roads had been opened and the transport infrastructure restored.

“Once this happens people can be returned to their homes and can start their lives over again,” he said.

José Dambiro, INGC’s Caia regional director, praised the South African Government for its help, saying the aid received had gone a long way in saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

“If it had not been for South Africa’s help we could have been looking at a very different scenario, especially here in Caia which is one of the worst affected areas.

“If we had not received South Africa’s help when we did, a lot of people could have died,” he said.

The provision of helicopters and transport planes had ensured the speedy distribution of relief aid.

Dambiro said there were more than |20 000 families of 107 000 displaced people still being accommodated in assembly camps who were receiving relief aid and farming equipment.

“Once the water has subsided, these people will return to their provinces where they will be given small farms so that they can start their lives again,” he said.