Floods wash away Umzumbe graves
Only one body was found, said Umzumbe Municipality Mayor Bongani Nyuswa, adding that the municipality assisted the family with a TLB to dig another grave.
The Duma family in Ward 19 under Umzumbe Municipality is still searching for bones and skulls of their loved ones, after three graves washed away during the recent heavy rains.
Only one body was found, said Umzumbe Municipality mayor Bongani Nyuswa. He said the municipality assisted the family with a TLB to dig another grave.
The mayor said as an African he knows that graves are a sacred place. “Graves are also connected to our cultural activities, which is why I wish to convey my message of hope and strength to the Duma family. We are also going to refer the family to the Department of Social Development social workers for counselling because what they went through is traumatic,” said Nyuswa.
The Duma family refused to comment. Also, residents near the Ntuzuma Cemetery were traumatised after bones and skulls of the dead washed onto the roadway during the heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the mayor said aside from the graves that were washed away, it was painful to see a large number of people lose their homes when they needed them the most during the heavy rains.
He said their disaster management report revealed that 538 households were affected by the heavy rains, adding that 3445 residents were hard hit.
“A total of 177 houses were completely damaged, 362 were partially damaged and approximately 34 people were accommodated in our community halls,” said Nyuswa,
One person died during the floods in Ward 20.
He added that the estimated cost for the municipality to rebuild is sitting at over R375 million.
Nyuswa said the people currently living in community halls will be prioritised during the allocation of 45 wendy houses which have been procured by the municipality.
“We are also glad that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements is on board to intervene with temporary structures, and they are busy with procurement processes in this regard,” said Nyuswa.
He added that to address the long-lasting issue of road maintenance, they have appointed service providers to assist with plant maintenance in all wards. Nyuswa said they are also in communication with the Department of Transport in regard to their roads that need to be attended to.
The mayor said they have provided 94 food parcels, 209 blankets and 189 sponge mattresses for social relief.
“We appeal to potential donors to assist in donating school uniforms, blankets, mattresses, temporary shelters, corrugated iron and the rebuilding of RDP houses,” said Nyuswa.
