As KwaZulu-Natal continues to recover from the aftermath of recurring floods that have claimed lives and caused widespread property damage, experts warn that inadequate municipal management is worsening the crisis.
Image: eThekwini Municipality
As KwaZulu-Natal continues to recover from the aftermath of recurring floods that have claimed lives and caused widespread property damage, experts warn that inadequate municipal management is worsening the crisis.
On Thursday evening one person died after being swept away by floodwaters in Pinetown. This is after six people died in Lamontville after they were carried away by the Umlazi River because of heavy rainfall two weeks ago.
Zulu monarch, King MisuZulu Ka Zwelithini has also called for an urgent climate change summit in the province, emphasising the need to re-examine land settlement and development practices.
Experts have long warned of the dangers of informal settlements on the edge of rivers being washed away, leading to death and destruction.
In response to the crisis, the provincial government has declared a state of disaster, aiming to repair damaged infrastructure and develop more effective strategies for managing the disaster.
However, according to Inanda Bezuidenhout, franchise principal for short-term insurance at Consult by Momentum, inadequate municipal management is intensifying the impact of natural disasters, shifting the financial burden onto insurers and ordinary citizens.
"KZN’s municipalities are responsible for flood management, road maintenance, drainage systems and emergency response. However, mismanagement, misallocated funds and a lack of accountability have left communities exposed.
"Taxpayer money meant for disaster risk reduction is often diverted or wasted, increasing vulnerability when disasters strike," Bezuidenhout said.
Bezuidenhout added that this has resulted in South Africans paying higher insurance premiums.
"South Africans are, in effect, paying twice: once through taxes for municipal risk management and again through higher insurance premiums. This system is neither fair nor sustainable."
Bezuidenhout noted that taxpayers face a "double payment dilemma", shouldering the financial burden of poor governance and increased insurance premiums.
"When municipalities fail in their duties, taxpayers end up shouldering the cost, funding both inefficient governance and increased insurance rates. This dynamic unfairly places the financial burden on individuals rather than the institutions responsible for disaster preparedness"
Bezuidenhout stated that the people of KwaZulu-Natal were not only suffering because of "natural disasters but also from governance failures that exacerbate their effects", and called for reform suggesting solution to the crisis could include the following:
"The people of KZN are not only suffering from natural disasters but also from governance failures that exacerbate their effects. It is time for municipalities to be held accountable and for systemic reform that prioritises disaster resilience and public safety - without unfairly penalising citizens" Bezuidenhout concluded.
IOL Business
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