In the past week the residents of KwaZulu-Natal caught a glimpse of hell when torrential rains, flashfloods and mudslides conspired to unleash untold devastation and suffering on the coastal province. At last count, a total of 443 people were reported dead, with 63 still missing and close to 14,000 households affected by the floods.

Some houses were partially destroyed while others were wholly destroyed which affected more than 40,000 people. Adding a macabre twist to this tragic plot were reports of human remains from a Durban community which had overflowed onto the roadway...