Mudslides triggered by continuous heavy rainfall have caused the collapse of three houses in Tshelimnyama, Mariannhill, KwaZulu-Natal. The eThekwini municipality says the incident occurred on Friday after downpours led to localised mudslides.
The collapse affected 14 residents from three families. In response, disaster management teams from eThekwini have been placed on high alert, with officials working to secure the affected area and manage risks linked to ongoing rain.
Immediate response in Mariannhill
The eThekwini municipality’s disaster management and emergency services directorates moved quickly after the mudslide. Spokesperson Senzelwa Mzila said fire and emergency services responded to the incident in Ward 15, where localised mudslides caused three houses to collapse.
“Fire and Emergency Services responded to the mudslide in Ward 15, where localised mudslides caused three houses to collapse. Emergency responders immediately secured and cleared the affected site. There were no fatalities, injuries or entrapments reported. Disaster management teams are on the ground conducting detailed assessments and coordinating humanitarian and relief support for the affected families,” said Mzila.
He added that disaster management teams also took steps to reduce the pressure of water build-up in nearby areas.
“Proactive measures were also taken along the R102 in the Isipingo industrial area, where the canal was opened to prevent flooding.”
Isipingo Estuary mouth opened to ease flooding risk
As rainfall continued, eThekwini officials opened the Isipingo Estuary mouth to relieve water build-up and reduce the risk to surrounding communities.
The provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has similarly indicated that teams are continuing proactive monitoring as the rains persist.
Minor incidents reported elsewhere
While the Mariannhill mudslide remained the main incident reported in the province, the KwaZulu-Natal department said minor problems were recorded in other areas.
Spokesperson Siboniso Mngadi said:
“minor incidents were reported along the R33 in Msinga, where rocks fell onto the road.”
Joint operations centre established
Beyond local disaster response, the municipality said a joint operations centre (JOC) has been set up to coordinate activities across relevant structures.
Weather warning: SAWS escalates to Level 6
The response is unfolding under worsening weather conditions. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) escalated its warning from Level 4 to Orange Level 6 for rainfall along the KZN coast and adjacent interior up to Richards Bay.
SAWS said the Level 6 warning has been in effect since midnight on Thursday and will remain in place until Friday night. The warning covers nine municipalities, including eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Maphumulo, Mkhambathini, Ndwedwe, Ray Nkonyeni, Umdoni and Umzumbe.
The severe weather is attributed to a combination of:
- a strong ridging high-pressure system,
- a coastal low-pressure system, and
- a cut-off low over the interior.
Province’s relief preparations for affected communities
KZN’s Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi said arrangements have been made with sector departments and social partners to ensure alternative accommodation and other forms of support for people who may be affected by flooding and related hazards.
Buthelezi stressed that communities must take precautions, pointing in particular to the safety of children, parents and road users.
“The Level 6 weather alert along the coast remains in place, while other inland areas are also receiving prolonged rainfall. We want to urge parents to ensure the safety of children when they travel to school. Most rivers are swollen, and we advise people not to attempt to cross swollen rivers during this period, whether on foot or by vehicle,” he added.
“Disaster teams are monitoring all the areas that we have identified as high risk. Road surfaces are very slippery, and visibility has become poor. Let us limit our movement to ensure safety.”
Government roving teams monitoring flood-prone informal settlements
Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba have instructed roving teams from the three tiers of government to monitor informal settlements in flood-prone areas.
Duma warned that a dangerous situation is developing at Quarry Road informal settlement, where the river is swollen.
“He said: “The river at the Quarry Road informal settlement was swollen and that bridge work in the area had been affected.”
Flooding at Melody Hills Transitional Emergency Accommodation, which houses victims of previous floods in H Section, Umlazi, has also led to the deployment of a technical team to monitor the situation and evacuate residents if necessary.
He said Montclair Lodge is ready to accommodate disaster victims under the Flood Response Plan.
Disaster management teams have also noted that several rivers flowing through residential areas are swollen, increasing the risk to informal settlements nearby.
People may be evacuated if the risk persists.
