Heavy rains wash away Margate’s beauty
Fever Local News | Raymond Louw owner of a health and safety company, OHS Extreme, wants to assist businesses that were affected by the flash floods for free.
After heavy rains left a trail of destruction and claimed five lives in Margate last Sunday, a health and safety company is offering free services to businesses and people who were severely affected.
Ward 2 councillor, Alan Bosch, said the Margate beachfront, bowling club and Doxa Suidkus Gemeente were almost destroyed by the flash floods.
The KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, said the heavy downpours caused extensive damage to businesses, infrastructure, and households.
Sithole-Moloi said of the five deceased, three drowned after the vehicle they were travelling in washed away.
She said a fourth person was struck by lightning in Mvuntshini, while the fifth victim fell from a roof while he tried to stop the gushing water from flooding his home.
“Several roads and businesses remain closed in Margate town as mop-up operations continue. Some businesses on the beachfront were washed away as a nearby stream overflowed, causing serious damage to roads, sewer infrastructure, traffic lights and electricity. Among the most affected businesses was a car dealership, where seven vehicles were washed away,” she said.
In Ray Nkonyeni Municipality’s (RNM) preliminary report, the spokesperson, Simon April, said while other areas of the municipality were affected, the Margate CBD and surroundings mostly sustained damage to infrastructure and flooding of business and residential dwellings.
April said a joint operation centre comprising all emergency services in RNM was activated to collect the necessary information and mobilise interventions.
“The information is being formally collected, and we plead with communities to liaise with their ward councillors so that all the necessary and relevant information is obtained. The overflowing of rivers creates heartache for businesses affected, which has negative implications for owners, employees and the overall local economy. Some families have been seriously affected after their houses were flooded,” he said, adding that work to clear the effects of the rain is still in progress.
Meanwhile, Raymond Louw, who owns a North-West-based health and safety company, OHS Extreme, told Fever that after seeing the devastation in Margate, he had to try and help.
He said he is a regular visitor to the South Coast and that it is time for everyone to join hands and assist.
“We are health and safety consultants. We look after the needs of the owners of companies and clients in the construction industries, making sure contractors are compliant with all health and safety needs. We are willing to offer our services free of charge to those affected. They can contact us on 071 4072344,” said Louw.
Also, Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate was spotted cleaning the Margate beachfront on Monday morning this week.
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