Heavy rainfall that fell on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on Sunday evening caused major damage in the area, especially the Margate area.
The heavy rains and flooding damaged roads, businesses, churches and homes and left thousands homeless. At least four people died.
George Henderson, a DA ward councillor, says it started raining late on Sunday evening. The heavy rain increased in intensity and left parts of the popular coastal town under water.
Henderson, who also serves the communities of Uvongo, St Michael’s-on-Sea and Manaba, says Margate is also without power after lightning struck a transformer. The first phase of repair work has already begun.
Business along the sea in Margate on the south coast of KZN were badly impacted by the storm last night @DailyNewsSA pic.twitter.com/TC4oSEtSfv
— Willem phungula (@PhungulaWillem) April 15, 2024
VIDEO: The resort and coastal town of Margate in southern KwaZulu-Natal has been battered by a storm. The town’s CBD is flooded and some roads are blocked by fallen trees. @ScrollaAfrica pic.twitter.com/cga3ZBuqgl
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 15, 2024
The weather service issued a level 5 warning for heavy downpours on Monday.
According to Henderson, more than 311 mm of rain was recorded in 24 hours. The rainy weather is expected to continue until Monday evening.
In a letter to the mayor of the Ray Nkonyeni municipality, Zodwa Mzindle, the FF Plus demanded on Monday that the municipality immediately carry out a survey on the extent of the flood damage in Margate.
The survey must be done to enable the provincial disaster management center to implement an assistance program for affected residents and businesses in terms of applicable legislation.
According to Rochelle Robbetze, a FF Plus councilor from the Ray Nkonyeni municipality, such a survey is essential to enable the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government to intervene quickly and efficiently and formally declare the area a disaster area so that assistance funds can be unlocked can be.
“The FF Plus will monitor the progress of the prescribed processes to ensure that the ANC-controlled municipality and provincial government do not drag their feet again with the implementation of disaster assistance,” says Robbetze.
