Many KZN flood victims say they have not seen any government aid

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Many flood victims from Durban and surrounding areas who lost their homes in the April floods, say their lives have not changed over the past four months. The floods in April and May claimed 461 lives, washed away the homes of about 8 000 families, and caused massive damage to infrastructure.

After government declared the floods a national disaster and promised relief, people say their day-to-day existence in community halls has not changed.

KwaZulu-Natal Floods I Aerial view of the damage, 13 April 2022:

Several government departments visited flood-ravaged areas in the Durban Metro in the aftermath of the floods, promising aid. President Cyril Ramaphosa promised almost R1 billion to help victims and repair damage.

Former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala later said the damage to road infrastructure alone is estimated at R5.6 billion.

Flood victim Mukelisiwe Mcineka, who is being sheltered in the Inanda community hall which belongs to the municipality,  says she has not seen any government aid. She says they have not been visited by social workers, and receive food from non-governmental organisations.

She is still waiting for temporary residential units to be built as government promised.

“The situation is bad here, we can’t do anything here. If you have a home, you are able to pray and ask for Divine intervention. How can you pray here, my house was washed away and I am alone. If I can die now, my corpse will come from the mortuary whereas, I had home. It is not fair.”

Zanele Mthembu, who lives at the same hall, says they don’t even have gas to cook on.

“You know nothing I have heard from the government. As I am talking to you we have no gas to cook and we have to collect wood from the forest. We want the government to give us alternative houses and leave this hall, we don’t want to stay here, we need our homes.”

Hlengiwe Ried, who stays at the Duffs Road community hall, says they don’t feel safe because there are no security guards.

“We get help from independent organisations, not from the government. There is no progress here and even our children are not staying with us and they stay with relatives which is not our will. It is not safe here and people play with guns day and night. We have tried to make follow-ups about the availability of funds but we were told by some officials to refrain from asking that question as they (municipality) don’t know anything about money.”

Nonhlanhla Mavundla says she has lost confidence in government.

“They promised us TRUs [Temporary Residential Units], but we haven’t got anything. We have heard that the government is even failed to get the vacant land. These promises are not fulfilled. We make follow ups about the money we were promised, but there is no direction. How long are we gonna wait? That is the question.”

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements says so far 1 700 temporary residential units have been built in the province, and 52 shelters for flood victims have been closed.

Auditor General Tsakami Maluleke is expected to table a report on the use of relief funds at a sitting of the Parliamentary joint ad hoc committee on flood disaster relief and recovery.

Government to increase efforts to help affected communities and rebuild damaged areas, 23 May 2022: