Weekend storm a setback to KZN repair works - Zikalala

On Monday, Premier Sihle Zikalala surveyed the damage in Umdloti, north of Durban, after this weekend's heavy downpours. 

A portion of the M4 between La Mercy and Seatides collapsed over 200 people were evacuated from their homes. 

"The is going to delay, of course, the rebuilding process,” Zikalala said.

“The fact that we had started, and the floods took place again meant that the work that was being done had to stop, that was delaying the process. But the worst is that we are incurring more costs because that work that had been done was washed away."  

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He said the storm, which claimed the life of one person, left behind significant damage. 

"It takes us back, but we will continue to try and ensure that we repair the infrastructure that is damaged and rebuild it." 

Meanwhile, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele admitted there is a serious spatial planning issue in eThekwini.

He told MPs in Parliament on Monday a meeting with the Durban Port team on the plans to reconstruct the Bayhead bridge revealed a problem of informal settlements along rail lines.

"One of the major things they showed us, was to show us how informal settlements are encroaching and the rail line. They removed vegetation and softened the soil along the rail line and in so doing, put the rail infrastructure at risk."

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“Those are some of the issues that talk to the spatial plan and also need to emphasize the principle legality in South Africa." 

He says education is critical in these communities.