IN PICS | Umlazi water taxis a hit with locals after bridge damaged in floods

A group of unemployed Durban men have turned disaster into opportunity by fashioning makeshift “water taxis” from polystyrene sheets, beer crates and sugar cane paddles to help residents cross the flooded Umlazi River, south of Durban.

This follows the latest damage to a makeshift bridge linking Umlazi’s E section to Chatsworth, which was washed away during the February flash floods.

The temporary structure had been built after a pedestrian bridge linking the two areas was destroyed during the 2021 floods when an electricity pylon fell on it. It connected Umlazi residents to schools, health facilities and a transport hub in Chatsworth.

Whenever the makeshift bridge gets washed away during heavy rainfall, residents must fork out extra fare to take two taxis to Chatsworth or try crossing the 7m-wide river by themselves.

“We have been called to help about 28 people from drowning since 2021,” said one of the water taxi operators, local resident Khulekani Ngubane, 50.

Fellow operator Bonga Ngcobo, 24, said four people died trying to cross the river. This led to the two, along with Sazi Nogada, offering the rafting ferry service for R10 a trip. All three are good swimmers.

They started off using various materials as makeshift rafts, but had to change tactics when one of those ferrying school pupils capsized and children lost their books. Luckily, no-one was injured.

They subcontract to four other youngsters in the area, taking turns operating 12 water taxis — which can carry up to six people at a time — between 4am and 8pm daily.

This is not 100% safe. It’s better than nothing, but not at all that safe 

—  Khulekani Ngubane, Umlazi water taxi operator 

“This is not 100% safe but it’s better than nothing," Ngubane said. "The polystyrene might capsize when it is too heavy on one side. So, you enter at your own risk.

“You can’t even claim money from us should anything happen, because we don’t have it. It’s dangerous for us too. We have to use some of the money for medication because we expose ourselves to contaminated water and we risk snake attacks."

Ngcobo added: “We would be lying if we said we were not scared, but a lot of families would starve or be forced to take a chance crossing the river by themselves, which would reflect badly on us as unemployed men in the area.”

Residents, most of whom do minimum wage jobs, say the improvised ferry beats a R70 return trip in a taxi.

Nokubonga Thwala said she had to use the ferry with her daughter who was late for an exam on Tuesday.

“ We came here because it is a shortcut, a dangerous one but we didn’t have much choice."

Umlazi resident Siyabonga Mpanza, a vendor in Chatsworth, said: “What these guys are doing is very helpful. Aside from the expensive taxi fare, we would also be worried about our safety while crossing."

eThekwini municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the city

was not aware of a makeshift bridge in the area. A temporary causeway had not been able to hold back flood waters recently.

Sisilana said repairs to the pedestrian bridge would be completed in May.