KZN floods: Godongwana says relief funds are available as death toll surges to 395

Relief funds are available for those affected by the heavy rains and floods in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

This is according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Friday morning, Godongwana said R1 billion was available as emergency relief since KZN has been declared as a provincial disaster area.

“There are two phases in the disaster. The first is what we call emergency relief and that is going to do two things [such as] intervening on an urgent basis… for instance if you need to relocate people and provide temporary housing.

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“The second component of that emergency phase is that the resources are going to be utilised for what I said earlier and to get professionals to make an assessment of the damage [as well as] its cost. That’s the first phase,” he explained.

“The second phase [involves] recovery and repair, [but at the moment] we are still at an emergency relief stage.

“We make a budget every year for contingency like this… it sits in a couple of departments and that amount is available. It can flow even Monday [and] that emergency phase is about R1 billion,” the minister added.

KZN premier Sihle Zikalala said during a media briefing on Thursday that approximately 40,723 people have been affected as a result of the floods in the province.

Zikalala said the damage, which is still being quantified, will “definitely run into billions of rands” and have an impact on South Africa’s economy due to the collapse of Bayhead Road, which is a strategic route for movement of cargo to the Durban port.

This meant that trucks are unable to access container terminals.

Godongwana echoed Zikalala’s sentiments on Friday.

“That is likely to have an impact on the economy as a whole so it’s a disaster that is serious,” he said.

READ MORE: KZN floods: SAHRC to keep an eye on government’s humanitarian aid

The minister further said government was aware that “vultures will be waiting to pounce” when the relief funds are disbursed.

He added that the management of the relief funds may be centralised in order to prevent looting and corruption.

“In that sense, from my understanding, is that we will probably appoint an independent agency to deliver those funds as part of trying to put a firewall to avoid any looting,” Godongwana said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has assured the public that the rebuilding of bridges that are vital for economic activities in KZN would be prioritised.

As of Friday, 395 fatalities have been recorded in the province, which has risen from 341.

More than 248 schools have been damaged by the floods while 55 people have been injured.