Floods to cost KwaZulu-Natal R1.1bn in damages – Willies Mchunu

Devastating floods last week in KwaZulu-Natal will cost Durban over a billion rand in damages to infrastructure, according to the province’s premier, Willies Mchunu.

The floods destroyed houses, roads and other bulk infrastructure, and killed many people in various communities in the eThekwini, Ilembe, Ugu, and King Cetshwayo municipalities.

Mchunu’s estimation of R1.1 billion in damages follows an earlier estimate of R658 million by the Thekwini metro in an interim report following an emergency meeting with the executive committee of the municipality.

However, at a media briefing on Monday following this emergency meeting, the premier mentioned a much higher figure for the damages and added that he was going to ask the president to declare a state of disaster in the province.

“The KwaZulu-Natal cabinet at its specially convened meeting resolved to seek for the classification of the Provincial State of Disaster. We requested National Government to invoke Section 41 of the Disaster Management Act No 57 because the province alone cannot cope with these incidents,” Mchunu said, as reported on IOL.

“We also resolved to make sure that all locations where they going to hold elections are to be restored immediately.”

The death toll following the floods in eThekwini currently sits at 64, with an additional 6 from Ugu District Municipality confirmed dead, Mchunu said. In addition to this, roughly 50 people have been injured and over 1,600 people have been displaced and are currently being housed in disaster relief tents.

Reportedly, 235 houses have been damaged and two people remain missing, with the city carrying out ongoing search operations.

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Mchunu also urged people to report to mortuaries if they have any missing loved ones so that bodies could be identified.

The premier has also declared Thursday a provincial day of mourning and prayer. The main event will take place at Curries Fountain Sports Field on Thursday from 9am.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for corporate governance and traditional affairs Nomusa Ncube-Dube voiced the city’s commitment to helping the families of those affected.

An assessment will determine how much money government invests in disaster relief, she added.

“The assessment will inform the president’s president’s availability of funds,” she said.

It was reported last week that the eThekwini metro had estimated in an interim report that the damage from floods that hit the city would cost nearly R660 million to deal with.

A special executive committee meeting in the municipality on Friday said R658 million would need to be found to assist residents who’d lost their homes and to repair damages, including that affecting drains, stormwater pipes, electricity networks, human settlements, and public facilities.

Some of the money would be spent on taking care of the displaced, with many families moved to community halls for temporary shelter.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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