KwaZulu-Natal, which lost more than R40bn when floods hit the province in April, is on high alert as heavy rainfall is forecast in the next 48 hours.
Disaster management teams and relief organisations are on standby to respond to emergencies, especially in the port city eThekwini which was badly hit in the devastating floods in April and May. The floods claimed nearly 500 lives and left more than 8,000 homeless, while damage to infrastructure ran into billions. Key sectors that power the provincial economy — ports, retail, manufacturing, wholesale, agriculture, distribution warehousing and freight — were badly affected.
On Monday, the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs received a weather warning from the SA Weather Service (SAWS) that inclement weather can be expected across large parts of the province. It said there was an 80% chance of disruptive rains in various parts of the province, and this will persist till Thursday morning.
The SAWS put the storms at yellow level 2, saying it might cause disruption such as localised flooding in some areas over the southern parts of KZN starting on Monday afternoon. There are four levels of alerts — green, yellow, orange and red.
“We urge our communities to heed this warning as the weather service indicates that there could be disruptive rainfall in areas in the districts of Harry Gwala, uMgungundlovu, uThukela, iLembe, parts of uMzinyathi and the eThekwini Metro,” MEC Sihle Zikalala said.
Disaster management teams are on high alert, and they will be monitoring several areas that have been identified as being at high risk.
“We urge communities to continue to be vigilant and to exercise all the necessary precautions, especially those that relate to crossing rivers or flooded walkways. We urge parents to ensure that pupils use routes that are safe to get to and from school.”
According to the warning, the inclement weather conditions could lead to localised flooding in formal and informal areas, and low-lying bridges. This weather may also create difficult driving conditions and motorists have been urged to exercise extreme vigilance.
Provincial chairperson of the Red Cross in KwaZulu-Natal Siyabonga Hlatshwayo said: “As a relief entity we are ready. Our staff on the ground are well trained and our emergency relief action will include despatching teams to all high-risk areas, providing affected communities with food and suitable shelter for displaced communities.
“We also assist in early warning evacuation in low-lying areas as well as making sure that safe alternative accommodation for the homeless including local halls and in some instances provision of suitable makeshift homes is available.”
Earlier in September the Treasury told parliament’s ad hoc joint committee on flood disaster relief and recovery that of the R1bn intended for the first phase of emergency relief efforts R87.4m was released to six KwaZulu-Natal municipalities.
eThekwini mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda has to date handed houses to more than 12 families in Inanda whose homes were washed away in the floods, through a reprioritisation of the city’s budgets, as it still awaits funds from the national government.
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