Margate floods should be declared a disaster
Fever Local News | The KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs says the Margate Airport was also flooded.
The KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) believes that the declaration of a disaster in Margate after the recent flash floods will speed up its recovery.
The Edtea MEC, Siboniso Duma, said he has instructed officials to accelerate interventions at Margate Airport after it was flooded.
Duma said the department had previously injected R11 million towards the renovation of the airport.
He said he has directed officials to offer flood relief packages to assist informal traders and hawkers who have been displaced and lost their source of income.
He added that he has also instructed environmentalists to do an assessment and speed up emergency authorisation and interventions.
The MEC was speaking while inspecting the damage to informal traders’ stalls and businesses affected along the Margate beachfront.
“We have assigned senior officials to augment the work of the local sphere of government. They have to come up with interventions to assist businesses affected by the destruction of socio-economic infrastructure such as roads. Also, to work with the municipality to accelerate interventions at Margate Airport,” he said.
He added that he has personally interacted with President Cyril Ramaphosa about the crisis, saying that they are comforted by the national government being in communication with the province, especially the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Thembi Nkadimeng.
Duma said they continue to communicate the message that climate change is the biggest threat to human development.
He said it is becoming the defining challenge of the 21st century, saying that beaches are under threat because of coastal erosion, adding that this is the biggest environmental threat.
“Scientists suggest that the global average sea level will continue to rise as a result of global warming and climate change. Climate change is affecting almost every sector of the economy in this province. Therefore, it is important that stakeholders work together to tackle both adaptation and mitigation,” said Duma.
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