The search for several people reported missing after severe weather struck parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday night has ended in tragedy, with the confirmed recovery of four bodies. Authorities have announced that the operation for one remaining individual is now a recovery mission.
Senzelwe Mzila, spokesperson for the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), provided a detailed breakdown of the incidents during a televised briefing. He stated that the province is “once more mourning the loss of life as a result of inclement weather conditions,” referring to three separate fatal events on Sunday.
The first incident occurred in the Umzumbe Local Municipality, where a 43-year-old was swept away during flooding. A second, separate tragedy took place in within the Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, where a 63-year-old died in a mudslide.
The third incident happened in Amanzimtoti, in the Durban area. According to Mzila, five people were traveling in a car when it got stuck while attempting to cross a low-lying bridge. Two occupants managed to escape, but three were swept away by the flash flooding. Search and rescue teams recovered two bodies from this incident on Monday. One person from the vehicle remains missing.
“From the reports that we have, it’s not a case of they escaped. They were swept away,” Mzila stated, confirming that efforts to recover the final missing person are ongoing to help bring closure to the families.
When asked if any other individuals were unaccounted for, Mzila indicated that, based on reports from municipalities across the province, it is currently only the one person from the vehicle incident. However, he issued a stern warning as the threat continues.
The South African Weather Service has issued a Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms, expected to affect western parts of the province on Tuesday. The warned areas include Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, parts of Ladysmith, and areas such as Greater Kokstad.
Mzila detailed the province’s disaster management preparations, noting that public facilities like community halls have been identified as shelters for residents in low-lying areas. He expressed particular concern about people attempting to cross flooded rivers and bridges, urging communities to take the warnings seriously.
“We are concerned that there could be an unnecessary loss of life,” he said.
The spokesperson also highlighted a growing concern over people continuing to build homes in flood-prone areas, stating that CoGTA is working with traditional leaders to discourage the practice.
Regarding the widespread damage caused by Sunday’s storms, particularly along the south coast, Mzila said comprehensive assessments are still underway. The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal was on the ground Monday with disaster management officials and municipal leadership to survey the impact.
Initial reports indicate significant damage to commercial properties, shopping centres, public infrastructure, and roads, where sinkholes have opened. Teams are engaging with sectors like agriculture to gauge the full extent of the damage, with a preliminary cost estimate expected later in the week.
The provincial government has urged residents in the warned areas to exercise extreme caution, avoid crossing flooded roads, and move to higher ground or designated shelters if necessary.