Community recovers from storm damage
Residents, schools and the beaches were affected by storm that ravaged Durban on 23 April.
Residents help clean up beaches
MORE than 1000 people flocked to Durban’s beaches on Saturday, 27 April to support a clean-up initiative following the floods which hit KwaZulu-Natal last week, which resulted in tons of waste and plastic being washed onto the beaches and banks of Blue Lagoon.
Durbanites responded to a call on social media to help clean-up the shoreline at the weekend, with a further clean-up operation held on Tuesday, 30 April to pick up the debris deposited by the deluge.
Hanno Langenhoven from Wildlands Trust said the clean-up on Saturday saw at least half of the waste removed from the beaches at Durban port and near Blue Lagoon. He said the problem was not the plastic and waste on the beaches, it was what builds up in river systems owing to consumer behaviour and service delivery inland, along with poorly designed packaging material. He said there was a need to design recyclable and more environmentally friendly plastic products and packaging.
Durban Primary School damaged by storm
IT was with great trepidation that staff of Durban Primary went to school on Tuesday, 23 April, to inspect the damage sustained from the heavy rains the night before.
Principal, Shaylene Miller, said the school had only just managed to recover from the R2.5 million damages sustained during the October 2017 floods.
“We haven’t even had the official opening of our newly built Aftercare Centre and long-awaited Media Centre, so imagine our devastation on finding our Aftercare Centre and library flooded, the banks washed away and pathways destroyed. After footing the bill for most of the repairs from the 2017 damage, it was heart wrenching to take stock of just how much we are going to have to do to get it back to the way it was looking,” she said.
Shaylene said the school was very grateful that there were no injuries to any of the staff and learners.
“We are hoping to get our property back to its shining self soon,” she said.
Bank washes away at St Henry’s
THE storm on 22/23 April led to the unprecedented loss of a section of a bank bordering one of St Henry’s bottom fields.
According to College principal, Stephen Leech, the torrential downpour led to soil and debris from this loss affecting a portion of Somerset Country Estate.
“St Henry’s has been in communication with Acutts Property Management, which looks after the Somerset Country Estate, as regards the school’s engagement with its insurers and the technical input required to remediate the storm damage,” he said.
Resident fears trees pose threat to life
A CONCERNED resident has pleaded with the city to act on ‘suspect’ trees in the Glenwood area, after a tree fell over in the early morning of 23 April during the heavy rains causing damage to the front of a building as well as cars parked in the complex.
“This tree is just one example of many that have fallen in the Glenwood and surrounding areas because the trunks are often hollow and unable to support their weight. There are also a number of heavy branches hanging over pavements and roadways whis pose a threat to pedestrians, or cars, as they can fall at any time. Some of the trees along Bulwer and Lena Ahrens Roads as well as in Bulwer Park, where runners, dog-walkers and children on bicycles and skateboards are at risk on a daily basis, are massive. It is just a matter of time before more of these fall,” she said.
Chamber calls on business to aid flood victims
IN light of the recent devastation caused by floods and heavy rainfall in and around Durban, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on all its members and local businesses at large to mobilise in support of the local communities affected by this unforeseen natural disaster.
Palesa Phili, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “We are urging our members and the business community at large to make donations and contributions towards vulnerable communities most affected by the storm. These communities require blankets, clothing, shoes, non-perishable food items, cleaning items, sanitary/hygiene items, baby food and products, building supplies and so much more. Donate whatever you can as it will make a difference to someone and their family.”
So far, the Durban Chamber has received donations and support from members and businesses such as Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, SAPPI Limited, Southern African Shipyards, SPAR South Africa and Lenmed eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre.
Drop-off points for all donations include:
· Regus Kingsmead, 11 Walnut Road, Durban. Contact 031 003 2900.
· Avonmore SUPERSPAR – Berea
· Glenwood SUPERSPAR
· Queensmead SUPERSPAR
EThekwini calls on residents to donate
ETHEKWINI Municipality is calling on all residents to lend a helping hand to hundreds of fellow City residents who have been left desolate after the recent floods that claimed close to 100 lives in KwaZulu-Natal.
The City is asking for assistance in the form of non-perishable food items and warm clothing. Those able to offer assistance are asked to drop off the items at the Disaster Management Centre on 3 Jeff Taylor Crescent, Durban, and at all eThekwini Municipality’s Sizakala Regional Centres.
Contact Disaster Management officials, Zamani Mtshali on 061 495 2066 and Yvonne Badenhorst on 067 278 7020.
For emergencies and flooding, residents are urged to contact the Disaster Management Centre on 031 361 0000 or their local ward councillor.
Drop-off items at Shoprite or Checkers stores
THE Shoprite Group has made its Shoprite and Checkers stores available to those wanting to reach out and help the people of KwaZulu-Natal following the recent devastating floods.
Shoppers can contribute to flood relief efforts by adding R5 or more to their grocery bill at till points in these supermarkets. The donations will go into the Act for Change Fund, which was established in answer to the call by customers for a means to support communities in distress. All proceeds will be donated to Gift of the Givers to support the organisation’s extensive relief efforts in the flooded regions. Customers can also make donations of groceries at collection points in all Shoprite and Checkers stores in KZN.
The floods saw Shoprite’s Mobile Soup Kitchens immediately dispatched to affected areas and currently four soup trucks are each feeding up to 1000 people daily. Food, disposable nappies as well as blankets are among the items the retailer is distributing to those in need.
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