Keely Goodall17 March 2025 | 6:11

Government declares KZN a ‘disaster affected area’ amid catastrophic floods

Several provinces have been warned to brace for severe weather.

Government declares KZN a ‘disaster affected area’ amid catastrophic floods

Heavy rains have caused flooding in parts of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality on 13 March 2025. Picture: Nhlanhla Mabaso/Eyewitness News

702 and CapeTalk’s Africa Melane speaks with the Minister of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa.

Listen below:

Floods have wreaked havoc across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, with emergency services on high alert.

Roads and bridges have been washed away, isolating entire communities, and 24 lives have been lost in KZN, which has been declared a disaster-affected area.

This activates all Departments and Treasury to give immediate support to those affected and evacuate people on flood plains.

KZN has faced several destructive floods over the past five years.

“Resilient infrastructure is our emphasis… We are aware now that these are the conditions we will be living under in KwaZulu-Natal.”
- Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa
“Once the alert is made, they must not compel workers to come to work even in bad weather, because we will keep losing people.” 
- Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa
“If it is heavy rain, rather stay home if it is not a life and death situation.”
- Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview for more.