Staff Reporter
Four people were killed in two separate road crashes in KwaZulu-Natal as prolonged rain flooded roads and settlements on Friday.
KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said poor visibility and waterlogged roads were contributing to dangerous driving conditions across the province.
Two people were killed when a truck and a light motor vehicle collided on the N2 near uMkhuze in the uMkhanyakude District. An infant was seriously injured.
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In a separate crash on the R66, about five kilometres past the Road Traffic Inspectorate offices in Gingindlovu, towards Eshowe, two people were killed and another two seriously injured.
Duma said a preliminary RTI report indicated a mechanical problem may have caused the second crash.
“According to a preliminary report from RTI, it is alleged that a steering of a truck with a mounted drilling machine locked while it was in motion, causing it to veer off its lane.”
The South African Weather Service has issued an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain along the coast and adjacent interior as far north as Richards Bay.
Flooding of roads and formal and informal settlements, fast-flowing water and the possible displacement of communities were among the expected impacts. A Yellow Level 4 warning also covered other eastern and southern parts of the province.
In Durban, concern was growing over communities in flood-prone areas after continued rainfall caused water levels to rise.
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Duma said he, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba had instructed teams from national, provincial and local government to jointly monitor vulnerable informal settlements.
“We are worried that the river in Quarry Road Informal Settlements is getting swollen. The work on the Bridge in the area has been affected,” Duma said.
He said flooding had also been reported at the Melody Hills Transitional Emergency Accommodation, which houses people displaced by previous flooding in H Section in Umlazi.
“We have sent a technical team to monitor the situation and effect evacuation if necessary.”
Montclair Lodge had been placed on standby to accommodate people should evacuations become necessary, Duma said.
The latest flooding follows several days of severe weather in eThekwini. On Tuesday, hail, heavy rain and strong winds hit parts of the metro, causing localised flooding and traffic disruption. Three lanes of the N3 eastbound before the Tollgate Bridge were closed after water covered sections of the freeway.
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By Wednesday, eThekwini had activated its Disaster Management Centre and placed emergency services, Metro Police and other frontline teams on alert ahead of further disruptive rainfall.
Duma said teams were continuing to assess settlements considered at particular risk as the rainfall persisted.
“Critically, teams from human settlements will this morning consolidate reports from various roving teams who have been monitoring high-risk areas, especially human settlements located along flood-prone areas,” he said.
Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality’s Disaster Management and Emergency Services Directorates remains on high alert as persistent heavy rainfall continues across the municipal region.
Emergency officials responded to an incident in Ward 15, Tshelimnyama, near Mariannhill in Pinetown, on Friday morning after localised mudslides caused the collapse of approximately three houses.
According to the municipality, emergency responders swiftly secured and cleared the affected area to ensure the safety of residents and prevent further risks.
The municipality confirmed that no fatalities, injuries, or cases of entrapment were reported. However, 14 residents have been affected by the incident and are receiving support from municipal teams.
As part of efforts to reduce the impact of heavy rainfall and prevent flooding in vulnerable communities, disaster management officials, working alongside municipal technical units, have opened the Isipingo Estuary mouth.
The intervention is intended to relieve water build-up and lower the risk of flooding in surrounding areas.
Municipal Disaster Management teams were conducting detailed assessments in affected communities while coordinating immediate humanitarian and relief assistance for displaced families.
The municipality has urged residents to remain vigilant as ongoing wet weather and saturated ground conditions increase the likelihood of further mudslides and localised flooding.
Motorists were advised to exercise caution by keeping their headlights on, reducing speed, and avoiding flooded roads, including low-lying bridges.
Residents are encouraged to report emergency incidents and storm-related infrastructure damage to the municipality’s Central Disaster Call Centre on 031 361 0000.
