As heavy rains continue to devastate parts of the country, residents of Lamontville in Durban say their struggles date as far back as 2012, with each bout of heavy rainfall leaving them vulnerable.
Busisiwe Mkhwanazi said she has suffered through multiple floods, including in 2012, 2019, 2022, and the recent ones.
“The recent floods were the worst yet. Other times, we saw the rain coming and had time to escape. But this time, it hit in the middle of the night while we were sleeping," Mkhwanazi said.
"I woke up at midnight to find water above my knees. I had to grab my children and climb onto the bed, holding onto the roof for dear life as the water kept rising inside our home. It was terrifying.”
The Dingiswayo family is mourning the loss of three children – Elethu, 6, Lusenathi, 11, and Sinokhanyo, 17– who were swept away by floods in February.
“I wish I could bring them back but I know it’s impossible,” their mother Phakama Dingiswayo said.
“We were relocated to Lamontville from Mega Village because of floods and now we have lost everything again. We are still at risk, living by a riverbank. We need a permanent solution.”
The eThekwini municipality said 229 Lamontville flood victims will be permanently relocated to land owned by the municipality in Hammarsdale, west of Durban.
Said mayor Cyril Xaba: “The city has embarked on several initiatives to reduce the risk of flooding. Some of the proactive initiatives the city is implementing to reduce flooding risks include the following the Sihlanzimvelo pilot programme where the city maintains approximately 500km of streams in high-risk areas, revising the flood lines to incorporate the projected climate impact of a 15% increase in rainfall intensity.
“We are confident that these interventions will further climate-proof new development in the City. Technical teams are currently being appointed to conduct a detailed assessment to identify possible solutions to government-developed properties.”
SowetanLIVE
KZN residents relate floods' heavy toll on their daily lives
'We are at risk, living by a riverbank, we need a permanent solution'
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
As heavy rains continue to devastate parts of the country, residents of Lamontville in Durban say their struggles date as far back as 2012, with each bout of heavy rainfall leaving them vulnerable.
Busisiwe Mkhwanazi said she has suffered through multiple floods, including in 2012, 2019, 2022, and the recent ones.
“The recent floods were the worst yet. Other times, we saw the rain coming and had time to escape. But this time, it hit in the middle of the night while we were sleeping," Mkhwanazi said.
"I woke up at midnight to find water above my knees. I had to grab my children and climb onto the bed, holding onto the roof for dear life as the water kept rising inside our home. It was terrifying.”
The Dingiswayo family is mourning the loss of three children – Elethu, 6, Lusenathi, 11, and Sinokhanyo, 17– who were swept away by floods in February.
“I wish I could bring them back but I know it’s impossible,” their mother Phakama Dingiswayo said.
“We were relocated to Lamontville from Mega Village because of floods and now we have lost everything again. We are still at risk, living by a riverbank. We need a permanent solution.”
The eThekwini municipality said 229 Lamontville flood victims will be permanently relocated to land owned by the municipality in Hammarsdale, west of Durban.
Said mayor Cyril Xaba: “The city has embarked on several initiatives to reduce the risk of flooding. Some of the proactive initiatives the city is implementing to reduce flooding risks include the following the Sihlanzimvelo pilot programme where the city maintains approximately 500km of streams in high-risk areas, revising the flood lines to incorporate the projected climate impact of a 15% increase in rainfall intensity.
“We are confident that these interventions will further climate-proof new development in the City. Technical teams are currently being appointed to conduct a detailed assessment to identify possible solutions to government-developed properties.”
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