Durban — EThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla inspected unmended flood damage to homes and municipal infrastructure in Asherville on Monday.
Torrential rainfall wreaked havoc in many parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with houses, roads and bridges being washed away.
In Asherville, several people died when an embankment loosened and the mud and debris covered homes on Lotus Road. A chunk of Tulip Road also washed away during the storm.
Mavundla was accompanied by eThekwini Municipality ward 25 councillor Themba Mkhize. Mavundla said a meeting will be held to address backlogs in the city.
Tulip Road resident Shaun Naicker said city officials have been coming to the area for the past three months to “take pictures and leave” without consulting with residents.
“I told officials to come into my yard and into my house. They should conduct an assessment. In three months all they did was reconnect the water supply.”
Munien Govindamah said she was renting a flat in Overport because her home was damaged. She was desperate to return home and told by officials that work would begin in August.
Springfield Civic and Ratepayers Association spokesperson Trinisha Bachoo said they had undertaken to restore the damage caused by the floods, including the retention pond in Asherville grounds and Balkumar Asherville swimming pool.
The association partnered with Maureen Rambhadursing of the Poor Flat Dwellers Movement (PFDM), a social justice organisation affiliated with the South Durban community environmental alliance.
The PFDM has secured the services of environmental, structural, civil, geo-tec, engineers and town planning experts to advise the association pro bono. The association, PFDM and advocate Kresen Moodley of the Joint Ratepayers Association met Mavundla and Mkhize to conduct a detailed inspection on site.
Nicole Daniels, an association member, expressed hope that this was the beginning of a fruitful joint development partnership with the city. Association vice-chairperson, Jonathan Muthusamy, was encouraged by Mavundla’s proactive response. Association PRO Rajah Krishnasamy said the stormwater drainage system had to be restored urgently.
“We’re grateful the department has begun reconstruction planning.”
Daily News