ABOUT R658 million will be spent in assisting displaced residents and repairs to the city’s damaged infrastructure, following heavy rains on 22 to 23 April.
An interim report outlining the devastating impact of the downpour was tabled at a special Executive Committee held on Friday, 26 April at the City’s Disaster Management Centre. The report estimates the costs, based on the interim assessments done by various municipal departments.
Speaking at the meeting, eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede said teams had been sent out to comence with the quantification of damages. This includes visits to households and all sites that have been affected. “We have given the teams a short turnaround time,” said Gumede.
Funds for infrastructural rehabilitation, will be sourced from insurance with some funding being sourced from eThekwini Municipality’s internal reserves. A report will also be submitted to the provincial and national government requesting funding for the projects. The report also recommended that the city delcare a local state of disaster as per Section 55 of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002. The Executive Committee also authorised treasury to identify emergency funding for identified emergency relief and rehabilitation.
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“The eThekwini Municipality has provided temporary shelters to house displaced families in 11 community halls. While the storm has left a trail of destruction we are working around the clock to alleviate the impact of this disaster on our communities and to bring the lives of those affected back to normality as mop-up operations continue,” she said.
The report provided a summary of infrastructure damages and the cost implications of each unit. A projected cost of R248 400 000 is needed for the repairs to culverts, stormwater pipes, pond collapsed, abutment collapse/wash away, deck subsidence and road closure across 33 wards. The Human Settlements Unit, requires R327 919 000 for repairs to RDP houses, transit camp units, informal settlements, retaining walls, hostel blocks and 293 houses.
Twelve facilities of the Parks and Recreations Unit were affected with libraries and the Art Gallery flooded and equipment damaged. The cost of repairs is not yet available. Meanwhile, the Electricity Unit estimated costs to of R19 530 000 for repairs to 11 substations as well as the HV Network. The Health Unit estimates R3 million is needed to repair the roofs of clinics in a number of areas which were damaged and consultation rooms flooded.
The official death toll has been confirmed as 64 people in eThekwini. The south and western regions in eThekwini were the most affected, with Tshelimnyama, in Marianhill recording 15 fatalities.
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