DURBAN - AN ACADEMIC from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) said yesterday major damage to buildings and properties due to flooding could be prevented if ageing infrastructure was repaired or replaced.
This comes as KwaZulu-Natal residents deal with the aftermath of the heavy rains that led to mudslides and flooding across the province.
Dr Hope Hangwelani, from UKZN’s School of Built Environment & Development Studies, who focuses on town planning, said a number of steps could be taken to prevent the damage caused by flooding.
She said with the influx of people into Durban, infrastructure was placed under immense strain as it was designed for the use of far fewer people. She said this infrastructure therefore needed to be repaired or replaced so it could cope with the strain.
She also said new infrastructure needed to be built to accommodate the growing population.
“Infrastructure is decaying, and for it to be reused it needs to be maintained, even if we look at investing in catchment areas because those areas need to absorb and store water, as that will also protect low-lying areas. In our case the catchment area has not been addressed because it is not doing its job.”
Hangwelani said we also had the problem of solid waste affecting the drainage system, and added roads had a lifespan and needed maintenance.
“We need to look at the maintenance and sustainability of our roads. When there is no maintenance like what we have seen on our roads, they are easily swept away. One of the concerns is the treatment of soil for roads. If the soil is not strong it will not be able to withstand heavy rains, hence we see so many collapsed roads.”
Dr Tafadzwana Nashe Mabhudi from UKZN’s School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences said responding to early warnings from the weather service was paramount to saving lives and protecting infrastructure.
“We must remember that when early warnings about the weather are given, we need a prompt response. This could mean things like evacuating people before a storm arrives, or even things like moving your car away from spaces where there is likely to be heavy rain, or gale force winds. It’s preventive measures like this that can save lives.”
He added it was also important to have people trained to deal with disaster situations.
“We have to address the issue of having climate resilient infrastructure. We need to build buildings that can handle flash floods and deal with harsh weather conditions.”
Mabhudi added the drainage system needed attention.
“Our stormwater drainage system needs maintenance. It is clearly not doing its job. We need to expand the drainage system to informal settlements so that it can help mitigate flooding.”