DURBAN - A 6-year old girl was killed when she was struck by a lightning bolt while standing in a yard in Madiba Village in the Maphumulo local municipality yesterday.
The child's death has prompted MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka, to once again urge communities to be vigilant as the province continues to experience adverse weather.
Hlomuka has expressed his condolences to the Manqele family for their loss and directed disaster management teams to provide support for them.
"The news we have received of yet another life lost as a result of inclement weather is devastating. We appeal to all communities to be vigilant as our province continues to experience rough weather conditions which pose a significant risk to human life," the MEC said.
So far, 11 people in KZN have lost their lives due to inclement weather.
Hlomuka said two people are still missing after being swept off the uThukela Bridge between Kranskop and Nkandla on February 12.
"Search and rescue teams deployed a helicopter to assist with the search for 65-year-old Smakade Magwaza and his grandson, 8-year-old Lwandle Magwaza, who were swept away by the crocodile-infested uThukela River," he said.
Hlomuka said his department continues to invest in additional disaster management capacity in municipalities so they can better respond to natural disasters and weather-related incidents.
Yesterday, Hlomuka visited the iLembe district where he handed over a fully equipped fire-and-rescue vehicle to the rural municipality of Ndwedwe so it can better manage such incidents and be able to assist other municipalities in the district.
IOL