Official request made to classify some fire-hit KZN areas as disasters
The KwaZulu-Natal government has officially put in a request for parts of the province devastated by wildfires to be classified as disaster areas.
At least 14 people have died due to them in seven of the province's districts.
Nearly 2,500 people have been affected, with hundreds of properties damaged or destroyed.
Speaking at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday, KZN Premier Thami Ntuli described the damage caused by the infernos.
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"The estimated cost of damages due to these fires that started over two weeks ago is now sitting at R90 million. Of this figure, R54 million is on Human Settlements, while R35 million is on Agriculture which is crops, infrastructure, livestock and grazing land."
Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa is there to receive a preliminary report on the impact of the disaster.
He said residents should soon find out what the department's decision is on the classification.
"The fact that we are here is a physical understating of a disaster, but in terms of the government, we need to follow certain processes, to document certain things.
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"Our staff is on the ground to verify the information that has been presented before us. If now, before the end of the day, by tomorrow, a decision will be made on our side."
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