Floods caused extensive damage to private properties, 1 452 houses and close to 6 000 people were affected.
This emerged at a press briefing held by the eThekwini Municipality’s Mayor, Cyril Xaba, on Sunday morning.
Floods hit the City twice in less than a month, first on the 19 February, and again, around the 15 March.
Lamontville, KwaMakhutha, Adams Mission, Isiphingo, Pinetown and Inanda, were worst hit, and about 16 lives, were lost.
Xaba said “working with provincial and national government, we have been able to relocate some of the flood victims to family-friendly accommodation in the City. Others have moved in with their relatives, and we want to thank them for this act of kindness.”
The total cost for infrastructure damages is estimated at around R 1.5 billion.
Breakdown of costs:
• Roads and storm water: R35.6 million
• Roads provision: R281.7 million
• Coastal and storm water catchment: R307.7 million
• Sanitation: R330 million
• Human Settlements: R354 million
• Water operations: R6 million
• Electricity: R5.5 million
• Cleansing and Solid Waste: R10.2 million
• Parks and Recreation: R36 million for libraries, community halls and cemeteries.
Xaba also said “we welcome the declaration of the state of disaster in the province by national government. We are hopeful that a substantial amount of the disaster grant funding will be allocated to eThekwini considering the extensive losses we have suffered.”
Picture: Supplied