These were scenes on Sunday following the heavy rains that battered many cities in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo
THE Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane will crisscross the rain-lashed disaster-prone KwaZulu Natal province on Tuesday and Wednesday to assess the damage following the floods in recent weeks.
Seven people were confirmed dead, while others were still missing without a trace following the torrential rainfall that led to a scene of destruction in eThekwini and many other parts of the province.
Many residents were left stranded in the aftermath of the chaos as their homes were washed away.
Her visit comes amid the deadlock between the provincial Department of Human Settlements and some community members in Shallcross, Chatsworth, who are opposed to the construction of low-cost housing for flood victims in the area.
A meeting to announce the plan to build houses in four portions of state-owned land in Shallcross ended dramatically when at least five gunshots were fired in the air, allegedly by some aggrieved community members.
Simelane will meet with the local MEC for Human Settlements Siboniso Duma and eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba before embarking on her visit to the flood victims, including bereaving families in Lamontville, south of Durban.
Much of the devastation during last week's deluge centred around Lamontville and surrounding areas.
Simelane will receive a briefing from the officials on the interventions made thus far and proposed long-term plans for affected households.
In a statement, the city said: “The KwaZulu Natal Province is currently experiencing heavy rainfalls which have led to the destruction of houses and infrastructure, leaving people homeless and displaced”.
The meeting between the minister, Duma and Xaba will take place on Tuesday at city hall, will be followed by a walkabout at the Transitional Emergency Accommodation (temporary shelter) and interaction with the flood victims
The delegation would then move to Lamontville Township to visit flood victims and families who lost their loved ones.
Proceedings will end with an Inspection of the proposed permanent relocation site for flood victims, including those in Lamontville, to Georgedale.
On Wednesday, minister Simelane is expected to visit the Ncube and Nkwanyana families in KwaMakhutha, who are grieving after their loved ones were died during the flooding that occurred two weeks ago.
She will also lead her delegation on visits to impacted sites in Umdoni Local Municipality and Ray Local Municipality, in the south of the province.
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DAILY NEWS
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