A COMMUNITY affected by the floods in Mzomusha, KwaBester, Nanda, says that they are in a hurry that once all the water has been pumped out, they are looking at one of the houses to see if there are any people trapped inside.
He said this yesterday, following the fact that the Department of Human Settlements in the province sent trucks to dry water in the area in the morning hours.
The floods that hit the area on Friday and Saturday left nine families affected. There are seven of its houses covered by water, forcing those inside to get out quickly, with only what they were wearing. The other two houses, although not covered by water, but the families living inside were trapped because the way out was still full of water.
One of the victims, Ms. Slindile Ndumo, said that what they expect to see is that the water has been drained away, leaving it dry so that they can go into their homes.
“We will also go to ours to check the extent of the damage and we will clean the houses, but what we are in a hurry to do is to check if there are people in the house that we suspect are really there,” said Ms. Ndumo.
In the periodi Isolezwe went to the scene of the incident and found that those who are suspected to be trapped in this house, were drinking tap water, locked up, and to make the public think that they could not get out anymore, we blocked the water.
Mrs. Ndumo said that after the water dries up, they will return to their homes when they get help with blankets and other things as they know very well that everything inside has been ruined by the rain.
“We don’t know well about the matter of going and waiting because they are small and do not have electricity or water. We feel that we will continue to live in our houses,” he said.
He went on to say that he wished for a bridge to be built as soon as possible to go under the road, to be more open so that the water can spill over to the other side of the road.
“Since the damage is so bad, it is because the pipes are built naturally, they are small, with a mouth like a small bucket. They can no longer withstand the flow of water that occurs in this area when it rains,” said Ms. Ndumo.
The Minister of Transport and Human Settlements, Mr. Siboniso Duma, in a statement sent to the media, said he has assigned teams to intervene.
“The Department of Transport is using high-quality mud pumps, and has also included a machine to remove water mixed with waste and mud. It is the waste that has blocked it, which makes the water no longer able to flow freely and which has led to the houses being covered in water,” said Duma.
He went on to say that the department is working with the Municipality of Thekwini to collect information on the affected families to ensure appropriate intervention.
“We don’t want anyone to be left out. Some families are staying with friends, and we are trying to find a way for them to be accommodated while the plan to provide them with services is completed,” said Duma.