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‘We hope to see bodies of our family members flow down the river’: Families of missing flood victims

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Gift of the Givers founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says rescue efforts have been challenging in KwaZulu-Natal. The province is recovering from recent floods that claimed the lives of 443 people, with 63 others missing and scores displaced, after their homes were destroyed in the deluge.

The KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala described the situation as the worst catastrophe to befall the province.

Several aid organisations have been helping with relief efforts.

Sooliman has also commended the community for lending a hand.

“It became very emotional for one of my team members when he was in Inanda, and he said when he went there, he saw people sitting on the edge of the river, and he asked them, what are you doing here? They said we’re hoping to see the bodies of our family members flow down the river. When they said, is this the way for our dignity, is this the way for closure, we realised then that there was a huge problem in terms of the number of missing people, and the number of people deceased.”

KZN Floods | Gift of the Givers involved in search and recovery mission: 

The province of KwaZulu-Natal is considering prohibiting people from building near river banks in the future.

Zikalala says most people affected by recent floods had their homes near river banks. He says, in future, municipalities need to be stricter ensuring no one builds a house in high-risk areas.

“The case of persons who have built houses along the river banks will receive priority attention because mostly these are people that get affected whenever there are floods. A number of joules along these river banks were affected. Many still remain precariously perched on the edge of the river. The reality is no building should ever have been allowed to be erected at such a location as part of the future plans, we should implement a no building across all municipalities using the prevention of emergency of slumps act.”

KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala holds a media briefing on efforts to assist flood victims:

Families of people, who were washed away by floods in Durban, have called on the government to bring more members of search and rescue teams. This follows heavy rains, which claimed lives of 443 people in KwaZulu-Natal. Sixty three people are still missing.

Search and Rescue teams from other provinces have been roped in to assist.

The family of 53-year-old Msawakhe Dlamini who was washed away by floods at Ndlanzi north of Durban, says they want search and rescue teams to come and search for his body.

The bodies of eight people have been found in ward 43 in Lindelani alone, while four other people are still missing.

Ntokozo Dlamini says his uncle was washed away by floods while he was trying to cross over to a nearby house.

“He was crossing over and the heavy current of water blew him away but the issue here is that the person has not been found and we need assistance, a rescue team to come and help us.”

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