KZN MEC Siboniso Duma with eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba assessing recent flood damage in Durban
Image: eThekwini Municipality
The recent deadly rains in eThekwini has prompted City leadership to scrutinise existing infrastructure, and identify solutions to reduce the impact of flooding on residents.
Last week, five people were washed away following persistent downpours in Lamontville, south of the Durban CBD.
In Mobeni, a family escaped unharmed after the roadway beneath their home collapsed.
Six people were also killed following heavy rains in the Adams Mission area earlier in February.
The City also reported electrical outages in several areas around Durban due to infrastructural damage.
eThekwini mayor, Cyril Xaba, said the City's stormwater systems are designed to cope with a one in 10-year storm event flow at critical points.
However, the floods in 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023 were greater than the 1:100-year flood in certain parts of Durban.
The mayor explained that in other areas, the flooding events in 2024 and early 2025 have also exceeded the 1:20 to 1:40-year mark meaning that the frequency and intensity of the floods has become unpredictable.
"Given the increasing frequency and magnitude of such catastrophic events caused by flooding in the eThekwini area, the city has embarked on many initiatives to reduce the risk of flooding and its impact on people’s lives and infrastructure," Xaba said.
He said while cities cannot afford to construct infrastructure to cope with every eventuality related to flooding, eThekwini is looking at other measures like the early warning system and risk mitigation.
One of the homes severely damaged during February's heavy rains.
Image: eThekwini Municipality
Damage to one of the homes
Image: eThekwini Municipality
"Some of the proactive initiatives the City is implementing to reduce flooding risks include the Sihlanzimvelo pilot programme where we maintain approximately 500km of streams in high risk areas and revising the flood lines to incorporate the projected climate impact of a 15% increase in rainfall intensity," the mayor said.
The City is also appointing technical teams to conduct detailed assessments that will help officials to produce stormwater management plans for high-risk areas.
Xaba urged residents to refrain from dumping in stormwater drains.
"It is important to indicate that flooding during heavy rains is related mainly to the size of the storm event and the capacity of the stormwater systems as well as the nature of the debris carried by the stormwater into the stormwater systems.
"It is for this that we are constantly pleading with both residents and businesses to dispose of waste in designated areas," Xaba said.
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