Staff Reporter.
Premier Sihle Zikalala says over 800 companies in KwaZulu-Natal have suffered damages worth about R7 billion during the recent floods.
Zikalala said the three top districts that were the hardest hit by the floods were eThekwini Municipality with 239 companies, iLembe with 87 companies while Ugu District had 54 companies affected by the disaster.
The briefing followed an ordinary sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal executive council which was held on Wednesday.
He said the floods had affected 31 220 jobs with eThekwini accounting for 68% of the jobs affected.
“The damage to Toyota has resulted in their temporary closure in the Durban South basin, an estimated 30 000 employees across the manufacturing industry are out of work currently. This means that employees could be without pay for approximately three months, given the severity of damage at Toyota South Africa.
“We are, however, very encouraged by the decision and the commitment of Toyota globally and other businesses to rebuild and build back better here in KwaZulu-Natal despite the setbacks and losses to business caused by the floods. Recovery priorities include working with the private sector to ensure a disaster-proof rebuilding process, “Zikalala said.
Zikalala announced that port operations are being improved, but are affected by the rest of the network in the province.
Currently, two lanes on Bayhead Road are open and operational while the repairs to the road are being carried out.
“Unfortunately, rail in the port area is damaged and will be back in operation in July 2022. There is consideration to open a new road along the railway line to ease movement of cargo.
“Electricity and water challenges around the port are affecting many companies and until there is progress on roads feeding into the M7, we will be affected by costly delays at the Port of Durban, “Zikalala said.
However, operations at King Shaka International Airport are back to normal with the Dube Trade Port providing water tinkering by utilising its own equipment and sourcing water from their own dams.
On small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) support, Zikalala said measures are being implemented to assist spaza shops in townships and implementing tourism sector interventions, and SMME relief for infrastructure.
“For this purpose, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is repurposing R67.5 million towards the SMME and Co-Ops Relief Fund, as approved by Provincial Treasury.
“The Fund will prioritise township and rural businesses, and informal traders in eThekwini Metro, Ilembe, King Cetshwayo and uGu Districts.
“In this regard, the Executive Committee has approved the application to National Treasury for the release of R1 billion funding for immediate needs while awaiting the appropriation of the rest of the disaster funds. This is to cover the shelter support, human settlement interventions, water and sanitation interventions, roads and relief, “Zikalala said.
Meanwhile, Zikalala announced that as at 15 May 2022, a sum of R125 000 has been donated through a dedicated bank Account number: 4103831039 with ABSA Bank, opened by the province.
“Of this amount R100 000 is specifically earmarked for the Department of Health [and] the balance of R25 000 will be used towards the rebuilding process. The bulk of donor funding has been sent directly to NGOs and can be accounted for by the NGOs.
“The Human Rights Commission and the United Nations Coordinating Office in South Africa will work with NGOs to ensure that citizens receive a report on who did what with the donations earmarked for the people affected by floods.
“There were many announcements made by various corporate companies and all of us will need to account and be transparent about what we did and how the money earmarked for flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022 was spent,” Zikalala said.