Ordinary South Africans have led the relief efforts for flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal, with many volunteering their services while others have been donating hot meals at community halls housing displaced people.
The organisations which are at the forefront of the relief efforts – which include distributing food, blankets and water – have praised ordinary citizens for coming to the fore by volunteering in the worst flooded areas.
Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said they have been inundated with calls from South Africans from all walks of life who want to put in a helping hand. At least 40,000 people have been displaced, 4,000 homes completely destroyed while 8,300 were partially damaged by the floods which killed more than 400 people last week.
The Gift of the Givers has already been on the ground in the province for more than a week assisting with relief efforts in a number of affected areas.
Sooliman described the response from ordinary South Africans as the “biggest response ever” from across the country, including neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
“People are calling and want to come and volunteer but we are stopping them as we believe that it would cause confusion as some of the areas are not even accessible,” Sooliman said.
He said the response by locals in areas that have been hit by the floods has been overwhelming.
“There's been this unifying force that we've not seen before. We've seen locals cooking and bringing hot meals to those who are in halls,” Sooliman said.
He said this has been happening in areas like Isiphingo, Chatsworth, Phoenix, Port Shepstone, Umdloti, Tongaat and other towns which have been ravaged by the floods.
“You have locals bringing a pot of food while others bring water to assist,” Sooliman said.
He said other locals who have boreholes have opened their homes to allow those who don't have access to water to get water at no charge.
“We are told that water supply around Durban will also get reconnected in about a month, so there's a huge need for water right now,” he said.
Nelisa Mabenge, CEO of Meals on Wheels, an organisation which has been supplying hot meals in affected areas, echoed Sooliman's views on ordinary South Africans availing their time to volunteer.
Mabenge said those who have availed themselves were already in their hundreds and they have helped her organisation to be able to supply 60,000 hot cooked meals since last week.
“They're in their hundreds, over and above the donations they made, they're also donating their time,” Mabenge said.
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