Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has reported that the provincial government has made progress in restoring electricity and water services, and repairing sanitation infrastructure since the April and May floods.
Dube-Ncube made the report during a media briefing to give an update on the progress made on the interventions to assist communities and families that were affected by the floods.
She said that the floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure and disrupted a number of services in many areas. In the past seven months, their teams have been hard at work, led by various MECs, to restore services and lead their Build Back Better Programme.
Dube-Ncube said that huge progress has been made in restoring most electricity services.
“You will recall that the majority of areas had electricity cut-offs after the flood disasters. We wish to report that all areas where power was disconnected have all since been restored and are 100% back to normal,” Dube-Ncube said.
Dube-Ncube said that most of the water services have been restored since the floods and that teams were continuing to work tirelessly to rebuild the water schemes that were completely washed away.
“The restoration of the oThongathi Water Treatment Works was completed on October 27, 2022, and water has been restored in most parts of oThongathi and surrounding affected areas. In some areas there are still water bursts being attended to before full restoration is realised. However, we have reached a stability level in our water supply,” Dube-Ncube said.
“The damage to the Umlazi Canal pipeline, which affected water supply in many parts of the southern region, was restored and water is stabilising in the southern areas.”
Dube-Ncube said that there was also progress in the repair work to all sanitation infrastructure.
“Work is at an advanced stage at the Ohlange sewerage pump station, which is the station that impacted the northern beaches. Work is also under way at the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works, which is the facility that was impacting the central beaches.”
She said that contractors are also hard at work repairing sanitation infrastructure in other parts of the eThekwini Metro.
“We are working as quickly as we can to ensure that as we approach the festive season our visitors are able to enjoy themselves at all our beaches. The target is to have all beaches opened by the end of November 2022,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said that there are beaches that are already open, and they are: Point, uShaka, Addington, South, Wedge, North, Bay of Plenty, Battery, Country Club, Brighton, Reunion, Pipeline, Toti Main, Warner, and uMgababa beaches.
The following swimming pools are also open: Rainham, Durban North, Pipeline, Tiger Rocks, Ansteys, Westville, and both the indoor and outdoor pools at the Kings Park complex.
Daily News