The heavy rains across KwaZulu-Natal this week have wreaked havoc, leaving many families in Ladysmith without homes.
From Thursday, families in various areas had to be assisted by emergency disaster services as their homes were destroyed by heavy rains, storms and strong winds.
The rain also destroyed infrastructure across the area, inflicting damage to the network towers in the process.
Councillor Genart Zikalala of ward 16 told Scrolla.Africa that the municipality is trying its best to intervene by deploying disaster units but the situation is beyond its control.
He said more than 20 homes have been destroyed and community halls were also damaged. In his ward alone those who still had intact homes had been asked to house those who have lost everything.
“Our municipality of Alfred Duma has scarce resources to help these people, which was a challenge to all of us who had to attend to the affected areas,” said Zikalala.
He said other teams from uThukela district went to the area on Friday morning to deliver tents as temporary accommodation, as well as to meet other essential needs.
Most of the affected areas are in the deep rural villages of Ladysmith, which made it difficult to help the victims as some roads were badly damaged and emergency vehicles were unable to get to them on time.
The South African Weather Service had on Wednesday warned that Ladysmith and other rural districts would be affected by the destructive level 9 rains.
The service has since downgraded the level alert in the western parts of KZN to level 2.
Pictured above: The home of the Mazibuko family in Driefontein that was destroyed by heavy rain in Ladysmith on Thursday afternoon.
Image source: Supplied
