Search and rescue teams have recovered the bodies of two eThekwini municipal employees who had been missing since the weekend’s floods.
The bodies were retrieved in the uMdloti River a few kilometres away from where they had encountered problems trying to cross.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela says, “The City would like to announce that the two bodies of our missing employees have been found and as a result, our Mayor has sent his heartfelt condolences to the families.”
Developers
On Wednesday, disgruntled Umdloti residents took to the streets to hand over a memorandum, complaining about the alleged failure of developers in the area to follow protocol during construction.
The area was among the hardest hit by the past weekend’s floods. Houses, roads and critical infrastructure like water, sanitation and electricity have also been heavily impacted.
Resident Kevin Minter Brown says Umdloti has already been badly hit by two storms in as many months.
“We do believe that there are now…. that the developers have told us that they had followed protocols, but we won’t accept this. It has happened twice and we want to know if something is wrong. If everything was followed and due processes were followed, the damage wouldn’t be this far.”
He adds: “So, we appreciate that they say they are doing studies, and they are doing everything they are supposed to do. This has happened twice and something must be totally flawed with the operation. We can’t wait for the next storm and we want to know what is being done to fix this problem, to fix the issues that have been overwhelming Umdloti twice now.”
Officials visit KZN after the weekend’s floods
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala visited areas on Monday where mudslides and heavy rains destroyed informal settlements, homes, roads and businesses.
Zikalala and a number of MECs have visited uMdloti to assess the extent of the damage. He said the already vulnerable infrastructure has now suffered a double blow.
Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes after torrential rains fell in the province for the second time in six weeks.
Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Ngungubele, gives an update on government’s flood disaster efforts:
