Durban - Hundreds of roads that were destroyed during the floods in April last year have been repaired as the municipality works hard to recover from the disaster.
This is according to eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda who was providing an update yesterday on the work that has been done to fix damaged infrastructure across the City.
He said the City had undertaken 600 repair and rehabilitation projects on its infrastructure and the majority of this had been focused on roads.
Kaunda and Executive Committee member and senior ANC councillor Nkosenhle Madlala visited the eMdloti and uMlazi areas as part of the inspection of the work done so far.
“The flood damage resulted in over 60% of our communities not being accessible by transport. The extensive damage to our road infrastructure was estimated at R5.6 billion,” said Kaunda, adding that through budget re-prioritisation and the allocation of the first tranche of flood-relief funds, the City has been able to implement projects.
“In Bellamont Road in eMdloti we have put in a brand new drainage system and backfilled the area that was affected by mudslides. We have made great progress in constructing two bridges in ward 100, Engonyameni. We have built a pedestrian bridge in Ward 53.
“We have undertaken 600 projects which include rehabilitation and regravelling of access roads that fall under our jurisdiction in rural and township communities,” he said.
Kaunda said the municipality had also allocated funding for flood mitigation measures in the Durban South Basin which included:
- Repair of the existing uMlazi canal,
- Prospecton Road canal upgrade
- Maintenance of Ezimbokodweni and Isipingo River diversion berms and the rebuilding of power substations in the area to improve electricity supply.
He also referred to the plans to relocate those that have been displaced by the floods to permanent homes by the end of 2024.
During the visit to uMlazi, Kaunda handed over a house to a family whose home was destroyed during the 2019 floods.
Ntombinjani Ndawonde, 76, received a home built by the municipality and donors.
Her daughter, Busisiwe Ndawonde, said they were displaced by the floods in 2019. Ntombinjani said she was grateful to be alive, saying her family narrowly escaped death when a retaining wall fell on the house.
Kaunda also spoke on the progress made in repairing sewer lines. He said significant progress has also been made in repairing damaged sewer lines in Peace Palm, Phoenix, which had stopped sewer leakages into the Ohlange River.
“A few weeks ago, we also completed the repairs for a temporary sewer line along the uMlazi canal which has helped us to prevent the contamination of the uMlazi River,” he said.
He also touched on the progress made to repair water infrastructure.
He said supply had been restored in the Inner West Region, which covers areas such as Botha’s Hill, KwaNyuswa, Luganda, Nagina and Thornwood.
In the Outer West region, water supply has improved from 45% to 85%.
“This has brought relief to areas such as Georgedale, KwaXimba, Ngonyameni and Mkhizwana. In the central region which includes Chatsworth, Klaarwater and surrounding areas, the supply has improved from 45% to 90%.”
He said the southern region has improved from 15% to 75%.
“This can be attributed to the repairs we have completed on the uMlazi Canal Pipeline and Prince Mshiyeni Hospital Pipeline. Supply in the northern region has improved from 40% to 80% following the commissioning of the OThongathi Water Treatment Works.”