People look for items that can be recycled amid the debris that washed ashore during this week's heavy rains at Cuttings Beach in the south of Durban.
Image: Leon Lestrade Independent Newspapers.
Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini on Thursday called for an urgent climate change summit in the wake of devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal this week that left at least six people dead.
Speaking at the official opening of the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg, the king said the recent devastation caused by floods was a stark reminder of the nation’s challenges. The king said that while it was undeniable that climate change plays a significant role in these disasters, it was important to reflect on how the land was settled and developed.
“I have observed with great concern that in areas under the leadership of Amakhosi, as well as in certain urban settlements, homes are being built too close to roads and water streams, placing our people in grave danger.
“This is an issue that demands urgent and decisive action. I, therefore, call upon the honourable Premier (Thami Ntuli) to convene a high-level summit on climate change and spatial planning. I, too, shall be present at this summit, for I foresee a great danger looming over our province if we do not act swiftly. “The time to act is now, with wisdom and unity, to protect our land and future generations. May wisdom guide us in this noble endeavour,” said King Misuzulu.
He said the gathering must be held with all Amakhosi (traditional leaders) and Izinduna (headmen) entrusted with the land’s stewardship so that lasting solutions can be found to safeguard people and the province.
Meanwhile, questions persist about why victims were placed in an informal settlement, which was vulnerable to flooding, and left there for so long.
KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi admitted that the transit camp where flood victims had been placed in Lamontville was unsafe.
“In hindsight, it is clear that the people who lost their lives were relocated to a transit camp after the 2022 floods, which posed a significant danger. They were not supposed to be relocated to such a place because it posed a significant danger on the bank of the canal,” he said.
Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini delivered his address to mark the official opening of the KZN Legislature on Thursday. The State of the Province Address will be delivered on Friday.
Image: Supplied
Buthelezi added that, at the time, officials did not anticipate the area would flood, but changing weather patterns had made it harder to predict disasters.
Housing rights movement Abahlali baseMjondolo has slammed the government for failing to protect informal settlement residents. The organisation’s general secretary, Thapelo Mohapi, described the situation on the ground as “desperate.”
“The government does not care about the poor, especially those who live in informal settlements. We are not regarded as human beings. We are seen as human waste that is supposed to be dumped in human dumping areas like the people of Lamontville transit camp. They were removed from a flood-prone area to another risk area, and that has led to the death of people,” said Mohapi.
The South African Local Government Association (Salga) called for the disaster management system to be overhauled to address legislative and administrative failures.
Salga deputy president Xola Pakati, said extreme weather events were testing the country’s preparedness. “The arrival of the rainy season quickly translates into widespread flooding across the country, with each year bringing more severe impacts on vulnerable communities,” he said.
The eThekwini Municipality had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
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