Seventy-two people are still missing since the KZN flood disasters of April and May this year.

This was revealed by KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube during a media briefing in Durban on Thursday where she gave a detailed update on the progress made on the interventions to assist communities and families that were affected by the floods.

She said DNA services are being rendered with the support of the SAPS, and recently eight DNA results came back with positive results.

“We are aware that some families are seeking closure, taking into consideration all the sensitivities and emotional issues around this matter,” she said.

According to news reports, by June, the death toll from the devastating floods in KZN was sitting at 461.

Damage to infrastructure

The floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure and disrupted a number of services in many areas.

The premier said, in the past seven months, several teams have been hard at work to restore services.

“We wish to report that all areas where power was disconnected have all since been restored and are 100% back to normal.”

She said most of the water services have been restored since the flood disasters.

“Teams continue to work tirelessly to rebuild the water schemes that were completely washed away.”

She said the restoration of the uThongathi Water Treatment Works was completed on October 27, and water has been restored in most parts of uThongathi and surrounding affected areas.

In some areas, Dube-Ncube said there are still bursts being attended to before full restoration.

She said the damage to the Umlazi Canal Pipeline, which affected water supply in many parts of the southern region, was restored and water is stabilising in the southern areas.

Repair to sanitation works

With regard to sanitation, Dube-Ncube said there is progress in the repair work to all sanitation infrastructure, including the Ohlange Sewerage Pump Station which is the station that impacted the northern beaches.

She said work is also underway at the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works which is the facility that was impacting the central beaches.

She reassured all those planning to visit Durban during the festive season that all the beaches will be open by the end of November.

Human settlement interventions

Dube-Ncube said there has been progress in moving flood victims out of mass-care centres into ‘dignified accommodation’.

Following the devastating floods, she said the national Department of Human Settlements granted R325 764m from the provincial emergency housing grant for the provision of temporary and emergency housing.

To date, Dube-Ncube said more than R98m has been spent in the first tranche of the allocated R325m, and 206 families have since been relocated to decent temporary emergency accommodation facilities as at the beginning of this week.

Roads rehabilitation

The premier said KZN suffered road infrastructure damages as a result of the floods amounting to R5.7b. This translates to 1 372 flood-damaged projects. The damage experienced ranged from pipe culvert damages, wash aways and even damages to bridge structures.

She said an amount of R2.9b was made available to attend to flood damage in all affected districts within the province.

“To date more than 80% of the roads allocated for the rehabilitation by Operation Siyazenzela have been completed,” she said.

Update on flood-damaged schools

Of the total 356 schools that were damaged by the floods, the premier said 46 have been completed, 123 are at construction stage, and 187 are undergoing procurement. She said a total of 76 mobile classrooms have been installed in 29 schools in the province.

“Those under construction will be completed before the end of February 2023. Sites for 157 of the 187 schools are anticipated to be handed over before the end of November. The balance of 20 of the 187 schools will be under construction in the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year.”