A year since devastating floods hit KwaZulu-Natal, memories are still fresh for the most affected communities.
Over 400 people died after torrential rains and mudslides battered the province, leaving communities across the province without essential services such as water and sanitation as well as electricity.
Thousands of homes and businesses were also affected.
The community of La Mercy north of Durban was among the most affected.
Chairperson of the La Mercy Ratepayers’ Association Ravi Ramsundar says, “Boats were not spared from the carnage, properties were destroyed, we have to rescue people from damaged homes during the night, around 150 displaced in the informal settlement. These people had to be accommodated in halls. We also had a number of people from the formal sector who had to move out from their homes as the flooding of their homes or infrastructure damaged and overall the infrastructure within La Mercy severely damaged.”
KwaZulu-Natal floods aerial view of the damage:
KZN government failed to effectively deal with the aftermath of the 2022 floods
The leader of the official opposition in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) president Velenkosi Hlabisa, says the provincial government has failed to effectively deal with the aftermath of last year’s floods.
This week will mark the first anniversary of the floods that caused devastation in Durban and other parts of the province.
Hlabisa says it is a huge failure on the part of the authorities to have people that are still displaced a year after the disaster.
“They are good in making empty promises, the [then] Premier [Sihle Zikalala] of KwaZulu-Natal, went public to say all families will be removed from halls and churches over the festive season in December 2022. We are in April now and some families are still living in halls. Every time, they give this promise and they say next time this would be sorted out but in reality, nothing is going to happen,” says Hlabisa.
KZN Floods nearly 400 people have died
