Clairwood business and residential owners have expressed their concerns about the poor living circumstances exacerbated by the floods, and they have asked the municipality to provide permanent solutions for the damaged drainage systems.
(The Post News)- Business owners and residents of Clairwood in Durban have urged the eThekwini Municipality to take immediate action and upgrade the area’s drainage system. This comes after severe floods that damaged approximately 50 structures.
The recent heavy rainfall, which caused widespread destruction, marks the second major flooding incident in Clairwood since 2022. Residents and business owners are fed up with the recurring devastation and are demanding urgent municipal intervention. According to Nishan (67), a survivor of the deadly storm that occurred in 2022, he lives in fear with sandbags at his door as a makeshift solution to withstand heavy storms and has not received compensation for the flood damage.
“We have no proper drainage system,” said Vishan Ghiroo. Ghiroo went on to say that the municipality has noticed that the area is congested and the community has reported problems, but nothing has been done about it. Moreover, Ghiroo emphasized that flooding must be addressed carefully by the municipality, and the drainage system must be permanently fixed.
Kosilla Jhugroo expressed frustration: “It’s terrible. Our health conditions are suffering. We can’t afford to move elsewhere due to the high cost of living. We need municipal and government assistance.” Meanwhile, business owner Ricallan pointed out: “If our municipality cleaned the drains regularly, we wouldn’t have flooding problems. Drains are filled with plastic and dirt.”
The flooding has left many residents displaced and businesses struggling to recover. EThekwini Municipality officials have promised action, but residents and business owners remain skeptical. EThekwini Mayor Councillor Xaba is expected to address pressing matters, including disaster management plans, as he marks his 100th day in office today, October 24, 2024.
Residents who were impacted expressed their worries, and Manana Simanga said that their living conditions are intolerable and that the floods have made matters worse while the municipality continues to make empty promises.
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