Watch: Battered Margate: Picking up the pieces
The Margate community has come together to clear debris and restore the town following the recent flooding.
“It’s not all doom and gloom. Let’s turn the negative into a positive!”
This is the message from Stephen Herbst from Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate after a devastating rains on Sunday and Monday.
“The community spirit, the generosity of businesses, and the support from other towns have been incredible. My heart breaks for the businesses, restaurants and individuals who have lost everything or are without work,” he says. “We are blessed with the best community in South Africa.”
@southcoastherald MAKING MARGATE BEAUTIFUL AGAIN: Scott Kvalsvig of Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate said yesterday (Wednesday) that Margate beach was almost 99% cleaned-up. In a space of a short period, Tidy Towns have even managed to save some of compromised palm trees on the beach. . #southcoastherald #Margate #tidytowns #flashflood #beach #kznsouthcoast
Ironically, the KZN South Coast also faced floods on April 12, 2022.
On Monday morning, residents woke up to mangled cars and a path of destruction along the banks of the Nkongweni River. Lives were lost, and buildings, homes and businesses were destroyed.
The Margate Bowling Club, due to run Margate Week in May, is in ruins. The event draws players from around the country and is a revenue boost for local restaurants and holiday accommodation.
Many parts of the South Coast have been without power since the storm.
Fridges and tyres landed up on the beachfront, along with debris.
There was even a search for the missing ducks and geese from Duck and Putt in Margate.
The South African Weather Service says that on Sunday, 249.8mm of rain was recorded. Another 32mm of rain fell on Monday evening.
Mop-up operations began on Monday and continued on Tuesday, with volunteers from Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate getting stuck in to help restore the seaside town.
Within 48 hours, the resilient South Coast community had cleared the beach.
Scott Kvalsvig yesterday said Margate beach is almost 99% clean.
Some palm trees, which Margate is known for, have been saved. The trees were planted from seed by the late Fred van Dongen about 60 years ago.
Herbst says there is some work to be done to the infrastructure in and around Margate, such as implementing a proper storm water drainage system at Hunter’s Stream, and some crucial changes to the Margate Sewer Pump Station 3A located near the Nkongweni River.
“To a certain degree, we could blame the poor drainage system, but not many towns would have survived 300mm of rain,” says Herbst.
“It’s certainly onwards and upwards for a better Margate,” he adds.
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