KZN flood victims protest outside govt offices, demand answers on disaster response

People fill buckets with water from a burst pipe that was damaged by the floods in Durban.

People fill buckets with water from a burst pipe that was damaged by the floods in Durban. Rosetta Msimango

Victims of the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal protested outside a meeting at the Department of Public Works offices in Mayville in Durban on Wednesday.

Many among the group who had been living in shelters and community halls, demanded answers about the disaster response to the floods.

Provincial cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesperson Lennox Mabaso said the group was alerted to the government’s agenda, including planned cabinet discussions about the land that was secured to build homes on for those in shelters.

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“It was a peaceful march by a group of people, and they waited until the cabinet concluded its business. They were unhappy because they also wanted leaders to speak to them in person as opposed to speaking to them through their leaders.”

Despite Public Order Police being on the scene, Mabaso said the engagements with the community were “very peaceful, there was no destruction and no use of force”.

“It was just a condition of people wanting to hear from the horse’s mouth for themselves on what is happening. They left quite peacefully.”