President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the government's relief plan for flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, but opposition parties took the opportunity to take a swipe at the African National Congress (ANC).

Democratic Allaince (DA) leader John Steenhuisen said it was more than two weeks since the flood, and many communities were still without water and electricity.

He said that, in many areas, there was still no sign of water tankers, which "could've easily been brought in from other provinces".

Steenhuisen said the urgency of restoring these services, particularly clean water, was imperative.

"But someone needs to drive this, and therein lies the problem. Honourable president, you clearly knew that neither your provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal nor your local government in the metro of eThekwini was up to the task of dealing with this disaster, which is why you declared a national state of disaster.

"Indeed, the eThekwini executive committee has met just twice, and the full council is yet to meet since the floods. The mayor of eThekwini has been entirely absent these past two weeks, and the premier's sole contribution was to hijack a water tanker for his home," he said.

"In your televised address straight after the flood, you said that the primary responsibility to coordinate and manage the disaster had been assigned to the national government. In theory, this would lift the responsibility off the shoulders of these inept local and provincial spheres of government and allow you to manage the rescue and relief process centrally.

"But I say 'in theory', because in the real world this is not what is happening at all. In the real world, no one is managing the process. Everyone has simply run away from the problem, and desperate residents have been left to fend for themselves."

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi said the ward councillors in KZN could not assist those affected. She vowed the EFF would be on the ground as people rebuilt their lives.

"We wish the people of KZN strength during this difficult time," she said.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said South Africans should pray every day, not just during times of disasters.

"The ANC is still accused number 1. I am sure there are vultures waiting at the gates, waiting so that they can start looting," Groenewald said.

In an effort to prevent the looting of disaster relief funds, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said he would ensure that all contracts for relief efforts were not mismanaged.