Prayers for KZN after heavy rain causes flooding and destruction

As heavy rains wreak havoc in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, hundreds have taken to social media to convey messages of support and offer safety tips for affected families and communities in the province.

The rain has resulted in school closures, damage to infrastructure, car accidents and deaths.

Netcare spokesperson Shawn Herbst said in a statement that emergency services personnel responded to a collision on the N2 just before Hibberdene on the south coast which had left three people dead.

“Three people sustained critical injuries and another three occupants sustained serious injuries.

“The patients were treated at the scene by paramedics from private and government services and then transported by ambulance to hospital,” said Herbst.

In a separate incident, a 22-year old man was killed in KwaMashu, north of Durban, after a wall collapsed on him at 3.30am on Monday. This is after another man was crushed to death when his house collapsed in Umlazi.

The SA Weather Service issued a warning of heavy rains and flooding in the province that are expected to continue until Tuesday evening. It cautioned that due to soil being saturated and drainage systems being full, flooding could be expected.

Social media users accused government of not doing enough to prevent or minimise the impact of heavy rains, despite similar incidents occurring every year.

“What surprises me is this happens almost every year and for years. But has any government personnel or department done something? No. There’s no country lacking leadership like this one. I give up,” one user tweeted.

Here’s a glimpse into some reactions online:

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