Environmental fallout, local heroes & funding promises: 3 must-read KZN stories

Residents in parts of KZN are picking up the pieces of what remains of their belongings and their homes. This after the province was wrecked by the flash floods, which started on Monday afternoon.

Amanzimtoti, Umlazi township and Chatsworth, all in the south of Durban, are some of the areas affected by the torrential rains. The death toll has risen to 70, with more than a thousand people displaced.

Here are three must-read stories about the deadly floods: 

Environmental effects

The after-effects of the torrential rains and floods have resulted in an influx of plastic, which has been flushed into the Durban harbour, causing concern among environmentalists. Activists have been working hard in mop-up operations.

President Cyril Ramaphosa praised local heroes

While the government deployed search-and-rescue services which comprised of SA Police Service, metro police and IPSS Medical Rescue, communities presented a united front in rescuing those in danger. President Cyril Ramaphosa praised them for pulling together during the crisis.

Government funding

Families whose homes were washed away by the floods will receive shelter and funding from government to put their lives back together. This is a promise made by Ramaphosa during his interaction with Durban community members on Wednesday. 

Ramaphosa said although the allocation of these funds may take a while, he said the government does prepare for the unexpected. 

"These are emergency situations which we budget for, so resources will be mobilised in the biggest way so that our people who are in need are assisted."