District mayoral visit to flood-affected families
KING Cetshwayo District mayor, Cllr Thami Ntuli has embarked on relief efforts to assess the damage caused by last week's floods.
This as he led King Cetshwayo and City of uMhlathuze municipal officials to ward 14 at Gobandlovu on Tuesday.
This was preceded by an Easter Monday visit to the family of a drown victim in Cinci under uMfolozi Municipality, where Ntuli paid his respects and the contingent provided support and delivered food hampers as the family deals with their tragic loss.
Ntuli confirmed that four people in the district were reported to have lost their lives, while over 240 were left homeless and more than 100 homes were destroyed.
‘There is great misery because all those affected have sought refuge from neighbours because they have lost everything, from clothing to furniture.
'There is much sorrow because these numbers continue to increase,’ said Ntuli.
He further called on business people to be patriotic during this time of need for the many affected families, saying the government cannot do it all without their assistance.
Moreover, Ntuli made a pronouncement on the medium-term solutions to provide both temporary shelter and new homes to those whose houses were damaged by the floods.
He also advised on interim water supply arrangements in areas where this was affected, saying some of the reservoirs in the district have been affected.
City of uMhlathuze mayor, Cllr Xolani Ngwezi called on councillors and ward committees within the city to conduct thorough profiling of the affected families across the city.
He stated the City of uMhlathuze was one of the most affected areas in the district.
‘We are saddened by the flooding in uMhlathuze because we know there are many people in unsatisfactory conditions as some homes are still underwater,’ said Ngwezi.
He further promised the Majola family, who lost 17-year-old Xolani Majola who was reported to have drowned, the means to lay their son to rest with dignity.
Families visited in the City of uMhlathuze were gifted with food parcels, mattresses, and blankets to keep warm.
In addition, a baby from ward 14 in Matshana who sustained injuries and was treated at Ngwelezana Hospital, is recovering well.