Preliminary estimates show the rebuilding and repair of infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal destroyed by the deadliest natural disaster to hit SA could run up to billions more than initially anticipated.
Premier Sihle Zikalala did not confirm the figures when he spoke to the Sunday Times yesterday, but said the recovery could cost billions.
“We have conducted general assessments in all areas — roads, schools, bridges, water and electricity infrastructure, health facilities,” he told the Sunday Times afterwards. “It’s huge damage which will cost billions and it will need technical experts to quantify properly — departments will be giving us figures later today [Saturday].”
A presentation Zikalala made to his cabinet yesterday shows that the department of human settlements alone will need about R2bn to rehouse those who lost homes. A total of 8,329 houses were partially damaged and 3,937 were completely destroyed, he said.
“Within a week or two we will be finishing installing temporary residential units,” said Zikalala. “The MEC responsible for human settlements [Jomo Sibiya] began that yesterday in Ndwedwe.” The municipality north of Durban was among the worst hit.
Some have gone to neighbours and relatives - we are equally supporting those people through food vouchers as well as clothes
— Premier Sihle Zikalala
The department of social development estimates it will need R67m for emergency relief such as providing food, blankets and mattresses for those who have lost everything.
“People have been placed in places of safety, including community facilities. Some have gone to neighbours and relatives — we are equally supporting those people through food vouchers as well as clothes,” said Zikalala.
At the last count 630 schools were known to have been affected. About 100 of them have been rendered inaccessible and 124 have suffered extensive damage. The department of education will need R443m to build temporary classrooms and rebuild schools.
The national government has pledged to make R1bn available. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who declared a national state of disaster on Monday, issued an assurance that the office of the auditor-general and community–based organisations would scrutinise relief spending to ensure no money was illegally diverted.
This week the Solidarity Fund, set up at the start of the pandemic two years ago, announced that it would support and augment the response to the floods.
Fund chair Gloria Serobe told the Sunday Times that the immediate priority was to help families who had lost their homes, had nothing to eat or drink and had no access to proper hygiene and sanitation.
Serobe said the fund would build on the lessons it learnt from the pandemic and the riots. “There is no time for us to be studying things and having theoretical solutions. You need to go to the site and make these judgment calls once you have seen for yourself.”
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