Durban — Three bodies were recovered from a car believed to have gone missing at the end of December 2023.
Providing an update on fatalities as a result of inclement weather in KwaZulu-Natal, Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Siboniso Mngadi said: “The KZN Provincial Disaster Management Centre has confirmed three additional fatalities that occurred in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality in Ladysmith.”
Mngadi said that on Saturday, the disaster team discovered a car under a bridge on the N11, with three people confirmed deceased. It is suspected that this car went missing on December 31, 2023, from Bergville.
Further investigations into the matter were under way.
“In another incident, an adult man from Ezakheni township in Ladysmith lost his life due to drowning while swimming with his friends. His death was confirmed during the rescue operation,” Mngadi said.
“Another drowning incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in the Nhlanhleni area under te Harry Gwala District Municipality: an adult male drowned while swimming in the Pholela River. SAPS Search and Rescue teams were activated to the scene.”
Mngadi said teams were interrupted by heavy rains but they were expected to resume the search on Sunday.
He said MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the grieving families.
The disaster response teams continue to provide assistance and relief to the affected families.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, uThukela District Municipality spokesperson Nothile Zwane said that the floods in the district left more than 100 people homeless. Some of them are housed in community halls. There is also massive infrastructure damage and water supply has also been affected.
Zwane said this was contained in a disaster manager report on recent the floods presented by Mr N Miya.
Speaking on the sidelines, uThukela District mayor, Inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala, said: “It is encouraging to see all stakeholders such as the Al-Imdaad Foundation and businesses such as Shoprite donating blankets and other necessary assistance to those affected.
“As uThukela District it is important that we work together with the Alfred Duma Local Municipality so that we have a clear understanding of the extent of damage to the infrastructure such as roads, schools, other structures and a number of people have been affected.
“I would like to commend all those who have been on the ground assisting people since the disaster struck. As uThukela District we are still doing an assessment about the extent of the damage caused by the floods.”
When visiting Ladysmith recently, Sithole-Moloi stated that as the provincial government, it is their responsibility to assess the situation and see how they can assist.
She urged both uThukela District and Alfred Duma municipalities to compile a report about the extent of damage caused by the floods and the intervention needed.
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