Relief for displaced residents
THIRTY-EIGHT community halls have been opened in eThekwini to provide food and shelter to families following the floods.
Among the most severely affected areas were Isipingo and Tongaat.
One family that had sought refuge at the Isipingo Civic Hall was Silas Phillips and his mother, Cheryl.
Phillips was a voluntary lifeguard for eight years. He participated in competitions in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Last Tuesday, that training kept him level-headed and calm as he waded through flood water with his mother clinging to his back.
Philips, 46, lived with his mom, 67, in a two-bedroomed wood and iron home at the Dakota informal settlement in Isipingo Beach. It was their home for 15 years.
“The water started seeping into our home last Monday. By Tuesday morning, it reached my ankles and when it rose further, I knew we had to get out,” said Phillips, who is unemployed.
“My mother is sickly. She has high blood pressure and suffers with body pains and headaches. She recently fell and injured her hand. My only thought was to get her to safety.
“After getting our identity documents, I told her to get onto my back. I walked slowly through the water, which was almost chest high in some areas. I stopped a few times and lowered my mother into the water, so I could catch my breath. I had to continue.”
He said they trudged through the water for several metres alongside other informal dwellers. “Some of them carried bin bags above their heads, with whatever belongings they could take.”
When they reached higher ground, both mother and son walked to a friend’s home in Orient Park.
“By Thursday, we went to the Isipingo civic hall. There were about 180 people there at that stage. By today (Monday), there were about 130.”
He said they were given duvets, which they slept on, and this week they got blankets.
“We get three meals a day. The only difficulty is that there is no electricity or piped water. Using the toilet is a problem when there is no water to flush.
“At this stage, I don’t know what’s going to happen. I returned to our home a few days ago and it was hectic. Everything was damaged – the fridge, the stove, the furniture.”
He said his sister, who lived in a one-bedroom informal home with her son, was unable to accommodate them.
“My son lives in Johannesburg. I will wait and see how things go. My first priority is my mother.”
Phillips said he worked as a voluntary lifeguard with the Isipingo/Tiger Rocks lifesaving club.
“I was 15 when I started. I love the water and despite this difficult time, I
kept calm as our lives depended on it.”
Fled
Residents from a municipal-owned lowcost housing complex in Tongaat fled their homes last week after a river burst its banks.
The Vishwaroop Temple provided 80 of them with accommodation at its hall. Since clean-up operations started this week, 50 residents have returned home.
Ayesha Mastan Sheik Hoosen, 70, who lives in a one-bedroomed unit, lost all her belongings. She remains in the hall. “I cannot afford to buy anything. But I am grateful to the Almighty that I am still alive and have a shelter until I can return home.”
She said last Monday afternoon her son asked her to move in with him because heavy rains were expected.
“The rain was not so heavy. I told him not to worry. But less than an hour later, the river behind our homes overflowed and water seeped into my place. I tried to block the front and back doors with carpets and towels. I was so frightened, I jumped onto my bed. But the water quickly reached that level. I held onto the window burglar guard and prayed to God to save me.”
Hoosen said a relative, who lived in the complex, told her to open the door so he could help her.
“I was scared to get down from the bed. I gave him the key through the window and he opened the door. He helped me down from the bed. By then the water was by my chest. I prayed as we walked out of the house to the road.”
She said she was grateful to the temple for accommodating them. “We were given mattresses, blankets and hot meals but I hope to return home.”
Meanwhile, Danny Govender, his wife and their son, who also live in the housing complex, climbed over the kitchen’s Dutch doors
Govender, 46, a self-employed DStv technician, said: “We are not rich. We worked hard to do small renovations and buy a few pieces of furniture but all that has been destroyed. Even my late mother-in-law’s sewing machine was damaged. We only managed to take our identity documents.”
Yogan Naidoo, the public relations officer at the Tongaat Hindu Unity Forum, said the temple was an affiliate of the forum.
He said they reached out to the temple to help. “We worked fast once we got information about the homes that were flooded. The hall was opened and we got mattresses and blankets. Members of the community also helped and have donated food and other items to the families.”
In addition to providing blankets, water and food hampers, Naidoo said the forum helped other displaced residents in Tongaat and prepared 3600 hot meals a day.
“We are trying to assist the residents of the complex to get back to their homes quickly by also providing them with beds, appliances and food hampers.”
Zhinelle Pillay, a general practitioner, has assisted in clean-up operations.
“My late father was also involved in community work and the residents were family to him. It is my duty to help them.”
Msawakhe Mayisela, the spokesperson for the municipality, said the disaster management teams in partnership with volunteer organisations have distributed blankets and meals to those who have found themselves destitute. He said those affected should contact their local councillors if assistance was required.
On Monday night, during a televised announcement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said it was estimated more than 40000 people have been displaced by the floods. He said nearly 4 000 homes had been completely destroyed and over 8 300 homes had been partially damaged.