DURBAN - THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said yesterday that it was awaiting information from the uMngeni Municipality after its mayor said he wanted the area to be declared a local disaster following a devastating December storm.
The request for classification as a local disaster area must be submitted to the National Disaster Management Centre via the Provincial Disaster Management Centre.
On Saturday, uMngeni Municipality mayor Christopher Pappas said he wanted the national government to declare the area as a local disaster after the storm that battered the municipality on December 30.
He said municipal infrastructure had been severely damaged and a number of communities were affected.
He added that individuals had lost their homes and belongings and the infrastructure had in some cases totally collapsed.
“In addition to the declaration of a state of disaster, we will be applying to the premier of KwaZulu-Natal seeking financial assistance to deal with the disaster. We have noted the assistance that has been offered to neighbouring Msunduzi and will be appealing to the premier for the same.
“We will look for assistance from Cogta, Human Settlements, Rural Development, Social Development and the Department of Transport, among others.”
However Cogta spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said it was still early to determine whether a local state of disaster was required without the required report from the municipality.
“To date nMngeni has not submitted its priority list owing to assessments being conducted. So it is early to determine whether a local state of disaster is required without the required report,” said Mzila.
Mzila said the department, through the disaster management unit, had activated disaster operations centres in all district municipalities to report to the joint operations committee to monitor and co-ordinate interventions and support required.
He added that the department has allocated some relief stock to the uMgungundlovu District to support its local municipalities.
Municipalities have been requested to identify displaced communities so they can be assisted by the Department of Human Settlements.
THE MERCURY