EThekwini Deputy Mayor Councillor Zandile Myeni visited the Clairwood community which was affected by the recent heavy rains.

INTERVENTIONS are in place to assist residents affected by the recent inclement weather experienced in the City, said eThekwini Deputy Mayor Councillor Zandile Myeni during a site visit to the Clairwood area on 22 October. The visit came after the recent inclement weather affected Clairwood and other areas, which resulted in some residents sustaining injuries after their informal structures were destroyed.

The Deputy Mayor was accompanied by senior management of the Municipality, other government departments, and non-profit organisations to assess the damage and gauge the necessary interventions required in the area. Deputy Mayor Myeni said the City leadership visited the area to assess the damage as Clairwood was among the areas most affected. She said plans are in place where the City, together with other spheres of government, will secure land to build decent housing to reduce the number of informal settlements, as they are the most vulnerable during severe weather.

She appealed to residents to work with the City while working on temporal solutions to address housing challenges. “The Municipality’s emergency services will continue to provide the necessary support to affected residents in this area,” added Deputy Mayor Myeni. As part of taking necessary precautionary measures, she said teams will continue to attend to stormwater drainage and other infrastructural matters to mitigate the risk of flooding in the area. A team from Disaster Management assessed the situation in the area and will compile a report to be presented to Council. The Municipality urges the public to continue report emergencies on 031 361 0000.