Mayor Xaba addresses flooding challenges in eThekwini

The four major flood incidents that eThekwini Municipality has experienced over the past 8 – 10 years were greater than 1:100-year flood events in some parts of the city.

This means that the type of flooding experienced was so severe that it had a 1% chance of taking place in a year. This is according to eThekwini Municipality mayor Cyril Xaba, who was commenting after recent storms in the past few weeks claimed more than 10 lives in the city.

Xaba said the storms in 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 were catastrophic events that not only destroyed the city’s infrastructure but have also resulted in the loss of life.

He said flooding during heavy rains is related mainly to the size of the storm and the capacity of the stormwater systems, as well as the nature of the debris carried into the stormwater systems.

“It is for this reason that we are constantly pleading with both residents and businesses to dispose of waste in designated areas. In eThekwini Municipality, the stormwater systems are designed to cope with a one in 10-year storm event flow at critical points. The 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 floods were greater than the 1:100-year flood in certain parts of the city.”

He added that the frequency and intensity of the floods have become unpredictable; therefore, the City has embarked on many initiatives to reduce the risk of flooding, such as the Early Warning System and risk mitigation.

Xaba said technical teams are currently being appointed to conduct a detailed assessment to identify possible solutions to government-developed properties already built in the 1:100 flood line.

“The assessment will enable the City to produce stormwater management plans for the high-risk areas. This will also ensure that development in the City is done in a safe and sustainable way with regards to rainfall and the associated stormwater. With regards to the recent floods, our disaster management teams are on the ground assessing the full impact and financial implications of the flood damage.”

As the City grapples with the aftermath of devastating floods, the issue of housing remains a challenge. Seven people from a transit camp in Lamontville died in last week’s heavy rains. The residents had been moved to the camp after being displaced in the 2022 floods.

After last week’s deaths, the residents questioned why they had been left at the camp for such a long time. The City said the 160 flood victims have since been moved from the camp to temporary shelters.

Transit camps are used to accommodate those moved from informal settlements while they wait for formal housing or for emergency housing for disaster victims. Yet, years later, thousands of families remain stuck in these temporary structures.

The City said there were 71 transit camps in eThekwini, with over 10 140 families living in them. It said 3 676 families were relocated, and 2 224 units were demolished. This leaves 7 916 families still awaiting proper housing.

The municipality said it aims to relocate all transit camp residents by 2027 through the Cornubia housing development. However, logistical and financial constraints continue to delay progress.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements said it has been working to resettle flood victims permanently. However, some communities have opposed resettlement projects, citing concerns over property values, service delivery, and social cohesion.

Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma has condemned this resistance, calling it a “Not In My Backyard” attitude that exacerbates the housing crisis.

“We are aware that there are leaders meeting with ratepayers’ associations and individuals to mobilise against the building of houses in certain areas. This is tantamount to attempting to reintroduce the Group Areas Act, which enforced segregation of communities,” said Duma.

He noted that one such example is in Shallcross, where a planned housing project for 2022 flood victims faced disruptions. Although all necessary approvals were obtained, local residents blocked the construction of 85 houses, citing concerns about water shortages and declining property values.

“Our response is that there is no scientific proof of this argument,” he said.

Hope Magidimisha, of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s department of Town and Regional Planning, emphasised that tackling land shortages in Durban is essential to resolving the transit camp backlog.

She suggested strategies such as vertical development, which involves building high-rise residential buildings to maximise limited land space.

“Encouraging the construction of mixed-use developments can ensure better land utilisation while creating vibrant, integrated communities,” she said.

Magidimisha also noted that infill development, utilising vacant or underused land within existing urban areas, could help address land shortages without expanding the city’s footprint.“By implementing bylaws and incentives to promote infill projects, we can integrate new housing developments into established communities rather than waiting for large-scale new developments,” she explained.

“Population growth and economic expansion in Durban are intensifying land pressures. Without proactive planning and collaboration between government, communities, and private developers, informal settlements and transit camps will continue to grow,” she said. 

THE MERCURY