KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called for the fast-tracking of repairs to infrastructure that was damaged during the recent foul weather which caused flooding across parts of the province.
With the National Senior Certificate exams starting on October 30, Dube-Ncube urged all authorities to clear debris from schooling areas to ready the facilities before learners sit for exams.
"Many schools and homes have been damaged and electricity infrastructure destroyed, leaving people homeless and in the dark. As the province, our budget alone will not suffice to cover the cost of this devastation.
“I am deeply saddened by the devastating impact of the recent storm on these communities. We are actively devising plans to assist all those affected. We are engaging the national government, requesting support as we face this disaster,” Dube-Ncube said.
According to the provincial government, around 600 households across the province were affected by the weekend’s storm.
Six people died during the course of the storm the weekend of October 14 and 15, according to the department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).
Five people died in Mtubatuba, northern KZN, including a one-year-old child, after a structure collapsed.
In the Mpofana Local Municipality, within the uMgungundlovu District in western KZN, one person died after the individual was struck by lightning.
The South African Weather Service had issued a level six warning ahead of the storm.
The northern parts were arguably the hardest hit, as more than 134 houses were reported destroyed in Somkhele and KwaMyeki, in the Mtubatuba Local Municipality.
Residents also lost livestock like goats and cows, which they use to earn a living.
During the flood in April 2022, the KZN education system was badly impacted after heavy rains caused severe flooding.
More than 600 schools had been affected, with 124 being seriously damaged and 101 completely inaccessible, local authorities reported.
More than 320,000 learners were affected, according to Unicef.
“We can confirm that 64 learners have been reported to be deceased, while five are still missing. One educator and one food handler have also passed away,” Health Minister Joe Phaahla said in April last year.
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