Mop-up operations have begun in KwaZulu-Natal following the floods on Saturday.
On Sunday afternoon, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said that the most significant damage was in the eThekwini metro and the KwaDukuza and Ndwedwe local municipalities.
The coastal province has been battling hectic weather, characterised by severe thunderstorms and flooding, for the last couple of weeks. Saturday night saw flooding in the eThekwini municipality, with the Gateway Theatre of Shopping Mall flooded. Four people are currently missing, and 11 people have lost their lives.
Catherine Jenkin, a resident of Umhlanga, has described the damage as extensive. “Every home was affected, either in mild ways or major. On our road, at least ten homes were destroyed. People lost just about everything they’ve owned,” she said in an interview with explain.
Many residents in the close-knit communities of Umhlanga and La Lucia had structural damages to their properties, which included the loss of boundary walls, collapsing banks and sinkholes, according to Jenkin. “One home required the rescue of people and their pets, and our neighbours all came to the fore to assist,” she said.
While the affected municipalities are busy with mop-up operations, communities are coming together to help each other. “Our community is very tight-knit. We are all working together to mop up, just as we did when the rains hit, and we all jumped in to assist each other.” said Jenkin.
She lamented the city’s slow response to this and previous crises. “The city has no urgency to address the damage since the last floods. We will continue to experience unpredictable severe weather, and city management is slow to address it. The decision-makers are failing to protect the lives and livelihoods of citizens,” she said.
In recent years, KZN has experienced a series of events which have weakened its economy significantly, such as the 2021 July unrest that resulted from the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma for his contempt of court charge and the catastrophic 2022 floods, which left 435 people dead.
The South African Weather Services (SAWS) has warned that severe thunderstorms and localised flooding may return on Wednesday and Thursday. Speaking to ENCA, SAWS forecaster Wisani Maluleke said that people must be vigilant of the weather on those days.
While cleaning up operations continue, it’s communities like Jenkins that have to help each other and come to the rescue of their families and friends. We wish the province and people of KZN a speedy recovery.
Photo by Lukas Hron on Unsplash
