Izisulu Zezikhukhula Zizothola Ukwelulekwa Ngokomqondo

By: Sthulile Mdletshe

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says government will be providing emotional and trauma support to families that were devastated by the floods.

On Thursday, the provincial government hosted a day of prayer at the Durban Exhibition Center, in Durban.

Mop-up operations continue across affected areas, following one of worst floods that the country has seen in living memory.

Last week, in 24 hours the province had between 200 and 400 millimetres of rain that caused damages amounting to billions of rands.

Currently the death toll from last week’s devastation in KwaZulu-Natal has climbed to over 400, while rescue and emergency services are still out searching for more bodies.

After conducting onsite visits, president Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster.

Speaking to Gagasi FM, Zikalala has called on everyone to be more empathetic towards flood victims.

Reflecting on the damage caused by the floods, Zikalala says they have exposed the significant socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities.

He adds that these heavy rains also exposed how little prepared the government is, in terms of climate change.