University of KwaZulu-Natal town planner, Hope Magadimisha, said many of the houses in Tongaat were situated in the wetlands, which resulted in frequent flooding.

“As planners, we consistently advise against constructing homes in these areas due to the associated flood risks. There are relocation programs for existing homes at high risk of flooding. This could involve financial assistance, land swaps, or other forms of aid to help residents move.

“There are also flood mitigation solutions, which implement engineering solutions such as raised foundations, improved drainage systems, and green infrastructure, like rain gardens and permeable pavements, to manage storm-water and reduce flooding impacts for existing homes,” said Magadimisha.

Some of the affected suburbs include Plein Street, Fairbreeze and Emona, where some homes were in ankle deep water during the floods on February 26 and March 13.

Last week, the POST had a walk-around in Tongaat with Jay Lovie Govender and Shan Moodley from the Tongaat Civic Ratepayers People Movement (TCRPM) to assess the plight of the residents after the floods.

Many said they were disappointed with the lack of help from the eThekwini Municipality. They blamed the blocked storm-water drains and poorly-maintained municipal infrastructure for their ongoing flooding woes.

OLD MILL ROAD

The Outspan grounds, which is located on Old Mill Road, was the hardest hit after the river burst its banks, flooding the grounds.

The Tongaat Child and Family Welfare Society charity fair, which was scheduled to start on February 27 at the grounds, had to be cancelled due to the flood damage.

The society suffered a R1.5 million loss.

Prior to the flooding, the society had complained about the poor state of the municipality-owned ground. They spent over R240 000 to repair and prepare the grounds for the annual charity fair.

In addition, they paid R128 000 to hire the ground from the eThekwini Municipality.

A board member, Ragan Govender, said to date they had no assistance from the municipality.

“The city abandoned us. No one even came through to check on the site even though they saw how bad the damage was on the news. We contracted private labour to retrieve our belongings, like containers and structures. It’s disgraceful that nothing was done to assist us after the floods. The grounds remain in the same condition after the floods,” said Govender.

Jay Lovie Govender said the river was a cause for concern.

“There has been no maintenance of the river and when flooding happens, the council houses along the riverbank also get flooded. The municipality does not dredge the rivers, which results in the flooding that we see time after time,” she said.

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Flooding crisis in Tongaat: residents call for municipal support