eThekwini mayor visits flood-stricken areas in Clairwood
Following the weekend’s heavy rains, eThekwini Municipality mayor Cyril Xaba and deputy mayor Zandile Myeni visited affected areas to assess the damage and provide relief to affected residents.
ON OCTOBER 22, eThekwini Municipality mayor Cyril Xaba visited Clairwood to assess the damage caused by the heavy rains and localised flooding that hit the area. The harsh weather conditions have left parts of Clairwood and its surroundings in disarray, with informal structures destroyed and some residents injured.
Also read: Faeces floods Clairwood yards for over a month
Accompanied by the deputy mayor, Zandile Myeni, who was part of the site visit, senior officials from the municipality, government departments and non-profit organisations expressed a commitment that the City would stand in support of the victims.
Myeni said that plans are in place to secure land for building proper housing to reduce the effects of such storms in the future and reduce the number of informal settlements as they are the most vulnerable during severe weather.
“The municipality’s emergency services will continue to provide the necessary support to affected residents in this area,” said Myeni. The municipality is urging residents to work alongside them while they develop temporary solutions to the housing challenges.
In a bid to mitigate the risk of flooding in the area in the future, Myeni said that the teams will be continuing to attend to stormwater drainage and other infrastructural matters.
“A team from Disaster Management is currently assessing the situation in the area. Once the assessment is completed, a report will be compiled and presented to council for the approval of land to build houses for residents whose homes were damaged,” read a statement by eThekwini Municipality.
Myeni applauded the Al-Imdaad Foundation, a non-profit organisation, for their swift response in support of communities affected by the disaster.
Bukelwa Kewu, a resident whose home was damaged by the storm, expressed gratitude for the assistance received. “I am grateful to the ward councillor and the municipality for their support. Since the incident, they have been taking care of us,” she said.
The City’s emergency services continue to monitor the situation in a bid to ensure that what is needed is well taken care of. The public is urged to report emergencies on 031 361 0000.
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