KZN FLOOD WRAP | Surgery on hold at Prince Mshiyeni as hospital runs dry after floods

April 19 2022 - 12:39

The rebuild: Pupils affected by KZN floods will be sent to neighbouring schools

Pupils from schools severely affected by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal will be allowed to attend classes at neighbouring schools until the extent of the damage is assessed.  

Addressing a media briefing about the department’s response to the impact of floods in the province, basic education minister Angie Motshekga said more than 100 schools are extensively damaged and inaccessible to pupils.

Motshekga visited several schools in Durban after torrential rains wreaked havoc in parts of the province, leading to damage to infrastructure and loss of life. 

April 19 2022 - 12:39

Sassa increases food vouchers to R3,960 for families who lost loved ones in KZN — What you need to know

The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has increased its relief grant for flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal. 

The agency announced that under its social relief of distress (SRD) programme, which is an immediate response to a crisis for individuals, families or a community in times of disaster, it will increase the food vouchers to R1,980. 

Initially the food voucher was R700.

It has been reported that 443 people died in the floods and about 63 people are missing or unaccounted for.

April 19 2022 - 09:00

Calls for retailers to donate surplus foods to KZN flood relief

Non-profit organisation FoodForward SA has issued a public challenge to retailers, farmers and manufacturers to donate surplus food towards relief efforts in KwaZulu-Natal.

Devastating floods and landslides have ravaged the province, destroying homes and crucial infrastructure. More than 400 people lost their lives in the disaster and many are missing and thousands displaced.

Dozens of charities, churches and non-profit organisations have pledged support for the rebuild (some of which you can find here), and FoodForward SA said it needed all the help it can get to ensure food security in affected areas.

April 19 2022 - 06:30

Surgery on hold at Prince Mshiyeni as hospital runs dry after floods

Theatre operations at Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Umlazi have been postponed because the facility doesn't have water.

Water infrastructure was damaged at the hospital during the devastating floods that claimed almost 500 lives and left thousands destitute.

On Tuesday, officials from the department of health visited the province, where more than 84 health facilities have been affected to the tune of at least R184m.

April 19 2022 - 06:30

KZN premier thanks rescue teams as death toll continues to climb

The death toll in the floods in KwaZulu-Natal has risen to 448, while search and rescue teams continue their grim search for dozens of missing people. 

KZN premier Sihle Zikalala on Tuesday said the searchers had recovered five additional bodies.

He was speaking at Virginia airport, at the heart of KZN’s search and rescue operations. Zikalala was there to meet the disaster team members deployed from various parts of the country to help the search and rescue efforts.